


Sakura Blossoms

by lunawolf8074



Series: Kinky Romances [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Babies, Breeding Kink, Hot Springs & Onsen, Japan, Japanese, Kyoto, M/M, Masturbation, Mentions of Cancer, Minor Character Death, Roleplay, Spanish, Stalking, hints of Daddy Kink
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-18
Updated: 2017-04-24
Packaged: 2018-10-07 05:31:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 44,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10353291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunawolf8074/pseuds/lunawolf8074
Summary: Mitchell Ortiz was just like any other young man trying to make his way in life by working hard as a Physical Therapist while helping to raise his teenage sister since he was 18 years old. Life was going good ..he was offered a better position in the hospital he worked at and was transferred overseas to work in Japan. His sister went with him in hopes of a change for her and her unborn child. It wasn't until one dark rainy night that turned his world upside down and left him in charge to raise his sisters newborn baby, Jayde Ortiz.Kai-Anji was a simple college professor of English lit that was very settled in his ways until one day he gets a call from his family that draws him back home to Kyoto, Japan. While there he discovers an injured puppy who desperately needs love and he ends up getting injured while rescuing the puppy, he goes to see a doctor where he discovers someone he thought was lost to him.Mitch and Anji's love are like the Sakura blossom...very fragile and tender in the beginning...so easily broken if to much pressure is applied. Over time their love can grow into something strong and beautiful and the bonds that are formed will become unbreakable.





	1. Intro to Characters

**Author's Note:**

> (Book 2 of Kink/Romance series)(Breeding kink-Fetish)
> 
> Models I used for the characters are:  
> Takeshi Kaneshiro:Kai-Anji Sakata  
> Erick Elias: Mitchell Ortiz  
> Ginny Gardner: Laurel Tavers  
> Ann Curry:Dr. Yuriko Hiraoka  
> Ricky Kim: Kaijirou Sakata  
> Boo Boo Stewart: Kaitarou Sakata

Kai-Anji Sakata: 31, 5'10", brown/black hair, dark brown eyes....He is a college professor of English Literature until one day he receives a call that his father has cancer, so he flies home to Kyoto Japan to help his family out. While there he finds a abandoned puppy and takes him in but gets injured in the process...which leads him to to go see a doctor at a clinic where he sees Mitchell who bandages him up. When Mitch's family gets hit with a catastrophe it is the Sakata family who step in to help the man out along with his niece by inviting them to stay at Koyo Sakata Onsen (family owned hot spring/Inn). He is unaware at that time that his life and his family are being threatened once again by a stalker.

Mitchell Ortiz: 26,6'1", dark brown/black hair (shoulder length), blue-green eyes....He took custody of his 12 year old sister, Ana Ortiz, when he was 18 years old after their mother died from an illness in her lungs. He juggled between school and a job for years until finally ,with the help of a neighbor, he was able to graduate as a Physical Therapist who specialized in Geriatrics. One day he is offered an opportunity by his boss to transfer to Japan and work under a friend of his there who is willing to train him in a second specialty in Sports which meant bigger pay for him and his sister. Within short time a catastrophe strikes the Ortiz household and Mitch has to step up to raise his niece alone.

Jayde Ortiz: She is cute and full of drool that is is happy to give to her uncle every opportunity he allows her. She had a rough start in life because her mother was viciously taken away from her at birth and the only person she had left was her grieving uncle.Luckily for this little girl there was a group of people and a puppy who are there to help him along the way...in the end she manages to steal all the hearts she comes across as she grows.

Akio :male pitbull...he was abandoned as a puppy on the street at 5 weeks old and he wandered around until one rainy night he was found at Koyo Sakata Onsen by Anji out in the gardens. Anji found him and tried to rescue the little guy...but ended up getting injured in the process. He was taken into the Sakata home where he found his lifelong playmate in Jayde Ortiz...they both fell in love with each other and could not be parted from that moment on. He is very friendly and very protective of his baby girl Jayde...always watching over her to keep her out of trouble.

Kaijirou Sakata: he is half Japanese and half american( twin to Kaitarou)...18 years old, 6'1", very dark brown hair, blue eyes. Him and his twin brother are in their last year of high school and are trying to decide what to do with their future.

Kaitarou Sakata: half Japanese & half American( twin to Kaijirou)...18, 5'8", dark brown, black eyes. Him and his twin brother are in their last year of high school and are trying to decide what to do with their future.

Dr. Yuriko Hiraoka: 52,5'6", black hair, dark brown eyes....She is Mitchell's new boss in Japan as the Head Physical Therapist over Sports medicine. When Mitch met her for the first time he was shocked to learn she was a woman because he thought she was a man...luckily she doesn't hold that against him as she takes him on as her protege in teaching him Sports (PT).

Laurel Tavers: 25,5'8", strawberry blonde hair, green eyes....She was 17- a prodigy- when she went to college where she fixated on Kai-Anji ...while there she became obsessed with him, to the point where back in college she attacked him in his dorm room when she found him with another woman. Shortly after she was placed into a hospital that was treating her for mental illness, Since she was still under 18 her parents authorized for the therapist to perform a new kind of therapy...she was taken to Japan to in hopes that she would become desensitized to Asian men. While there a earthquake struck the hospital and caused many deaths...one being her doctor. This made it possible for her to get lost in the chaos where she melted into society and found a job as a nurses assistant for 7 years...until one day she saw a familiar face in Kyoto University Hospital once again.


	2. Back to the beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This story has some stalking elements in it and I am sorry if it triggers something in those who read it. In no way do I condone stalking and I am very thankful that it is considered a punishable crime. That is what it is...a crime that is very damaging emotionally, mentally, and physically.
> 
> A/N: also in this book I will be switching back and forth between Irish , Spanish, and Japanese (***) Though mostly it will be Japanese and Spanish since the two main characters are from those regions.

The early afternoon sun shone down onto the city below it...bringing warmth to it this early Spring season as the inhabitants navigated the streets heading towards where ever they were going to. In one part of town stood a apartment complex that was neoclassical in architectural design...a perfect blend of classical antiquity yet with a modern twist. Within one of the apartments was a Asian man who was running through one of the rooms dusting away any specks of dust to be found upon his furniture...scrubbing them away with ferocity.

Kai-Anji was so excited about his date tomorrow night with a dark haired gorgeous Hispanic man that he had met at his best friends... Keiran and Jaime O'Shea... wedding six days ago, that he was practically vibrating throughout his apartment as he cleaned up the whole place before he had any company over. He knew Mitchell Ortiz was only going to be in town for another week before he had to drive back home, which was 400 miles away, but before he did leave Anji wanted to make a very good impression on the younger man. At first when Anji heard how far away Mitch lived he was hesitant to enter into any kind of relationship with this man...but after thinking about it he decided to give it a try. He had realized that by accepting one date with Mitch that it was in no way a guarantee that they would hit it off well enough to want more than that, they could find out they had so little in common that it was not even worth trying to make an attempt at a second date. But, Anji was under no illusion, he knew there also laid a chance that they would be extremely compatible and desire to give each other another try, which meant a long distance relationship. As he debated the pros and cons of a possible long distance relationship he realized that many others did this kind of thing all the time with success...so maybe it could work for him also. He stopped chasing the random dust speck trying to outrun his oiled rag and sat down on his cream colored couch as he got to thinking more...how the worst case scenario would be that they came to find out they were better as friends only but the up side was at least he got to spend an evening in such wonderful company that with one look could make his heart beat faster. The best case scenario of course would be that they discover they were absolutely perfect for each other and could not live without the other in their lives..so one of them would suddenly move themselves just so they could be together.

Anji laughed briefly then sighed out loud because his mind decided to have its little fantasy for a moment before he could reign it in again to reality. At least he did decide on giving this stunning man a chance by agreeing to go on a date with him...but that was six days ago and now here he sat worrying about the state of his public areas of his home as if Mitch was going to see the state of it any time soon. Anji was still unsure about this dating thing he was going to attempt with a man he really didn't know anything about except for he was Jaime's uncle. For Anji this was almost terrifying to the point he was on the breaking point of a panic attack over the idea of trusting someone enough to let them into his personal space. To the world, he seemed calm and collected..very friendly and open...but on the inside he was scared of the possibility of what had happened back in college of ever happening again. The only people he trusted was Keiran , who had saved him from a deadly encounter with another student who had fixated on him back in college.

Her name was Laurel Tavers, another student at the same college that Anji and Keiran were attending as they were both striving to get their degree in Advanced Education. On the surface Laurel seemed like a very friendly, if a little bit over eager to please, kind of person...she was always ready with a smile and a greeting each time they saw one another on campus. He didn't think anything at all was out of the ordinary when she seemed to just pop up where ever he happened to be...he just accredited it to coincidence ... it was after all not that big of a campus, so bumping into people was not that unheard of. He just believed Laurel was a very vibrant person and very enthusiastic about life. The first whisper he had that something was amiss was when he went out to get ice cream cone with his female friend Carol, who happened to be in the same class as him, and Laurel showed up. At first everything was fine but when the blonde turned her green gaze onto Carol, he felt a sliver of a chill run down his spine. The look she gave Carol was not very friendly and he felt a bit uncomfortable in that second. He excused him and Carol from her, telling her that he would see her later...as they both walked away, he glanced over his shoulder to look back and saw Laurel just standing there watching them walking away. Her eyes were narrowed as if she was very angry, but when she saw him looking her face shifted back into a sweet smile as she waved in his direction before moving on her way. From that moment on he began to take notice of how much she was appearing...he noticed the look in her eyes when he talked to other women or happened to get close to one. Each look he saw there made tendrils of fear slithering through him...he began to feel as if he was being hunted.

Everything finally came to a head one night around Valentines Day when Anji was out on a date with a girl from one of his classes. It was during this time that he was hiding his sexuality from everyone around because he didn't want to endure any slurs or violence towards him all because he was gay...the only one who knew about him was Keiran and he wasn't telling anyone. The night was lovely and very romantic as Monica and him went out for a romantic dinner...where later they both decided to take it back to his dorm room to extend their romantic evening a bit more. That was where his romantic evening took a turn for the worse and landed him in the hospital...almost dead. He would never forget the screams...the blood...or the insane look in Laurels eyes as she attacked Monica and him. She had allowed Monica and him to enter the room before slamming and locking the door behind them...sealing the three of them behind that wooden barrier. He could instantly tell that Laurel was not in her right mind by how disheveled her blonde hair was giving evidence of being pulled upon repeatedly as she waited for him...her green eyes were no longer showing any kindness that usually was there but were now filled with a insane rage.

"Kai! Who is this SLUT you have brought in here?" she spat out to the shocked couple while gesturing towards Monica with the knife she held in her hands. Seeing that knife in her hands glinting dangerously in the lamps light scared Anji to his bones in that moment. He had a dreadful feeling in his guts that before this night ended something horrific was going to happen and someone may not make it out of this room alive to see the morning.

"L...Laurel? What are you doing here in my room?" something inside him told him to not say anything to upset her but his fear clouded his common sense and he blurted out what was on his mind. He saw her eyes go wide in shock as she spoke in a sickly sweet insane tone.

"It's Valentines Day baby...I came to spend it with you, my love. I got here earlier to prepare everything to make it special for us, ...." suddenly her voice turned darker with a edge to it as she shrilled in anger. "...I found you not here and out with this WHORE! How could you do this to me Kai! How could you throw my love for you in my face by cheating on ME!" she clutched the knife tighter in her hands as she snarled at them...her face turning red and her those green eyes turned glacial. Monica turned her head to look at Anji ...hoping he could explain what was going on...or maybe stop this insanity she was now a part of.

"Kai-Anji? What is she talking about?" her voice trembled a bit in that moment...she should have stayed silent, but it was to late, for her voice and words drew Laurel's full attention onto her and sealed Monica's fate this night.

"He was mine, you bitch! All mine and you seduced him away with your slutty ways!" the insane woman screeched at Monica who got pissed at being called a slut and a bitch...Anji grabbed her hand to stop her from fueling this rage in Laurel but it seemed that was the wrong move to make for the second he touched her hand Laurel's mind snapped. "YOU BITCH! I'LL KILL YOU! HE'S MINE!"the blond screamed as she attacked Monica with the knife in her hands...stabbing the poor woman into the stomach with such force that Monica doubled over before falling to the floor...clutching her stomach in hopes to slow down the flow of her blood out of her body. He saw her blood spilling onto the floor...pooling around the gasping woman as her life pumped out of her wound in a dark red flow. Everything happening was hard for Anji to process for a moment until finally his brain kicked in again and he moved to kneel down at Monica's side to help her. The second he moved, Laurel jerked around to face him and blocked his approach to the bleeding woman on the ground...her face was twisted with a obscene smile on her lips.

"There Kai-baby...I took care of that pesky tramp. Now we can be together without her getting in our way anymore." he looked at her in disbelief at her words. He couldn't believe this woman believed that him and her were an item...it was terrifying how insane that once sweet woman was. " Don't worry sweetheart, I forgive you for being lead into this harlot's clutches. I know she seduced you and as a man, you couldn't think straight past her charms. Now that I took care of her you can come back to me baby. You know I am the only one who loves you. I am the only one you need." she reached for him to hold him which shook him out of his daze and without thinking he flinched away from her touch as he smacked her out stretched hand away before it could touch him.

"You need help because you are insane Laurel. We have never been together. I have never been yours..not now ...not ever. You need to get that through your head and let me help Monica before she bleeds out. She is going to die without any medical help soon!" he shouted at her as he tried to move to his wounded friends side...it was no use for Laurel blocked his advances with her blood coated knife poised in between him and Monica.

"No Kai. I can't let you near her." her face twisted in her rage as she snarled at him...spittle flying from her lips. "God! I can't believe it...even dying and that BITCH is coming between us! Fine! You want her so much more than me then I'll help you be together...IN DEATH!" Laurel suddenly lunged at him and he stumbled over his feet as he tried to avoid her sharp blade...it was the opening she needed to vent her rage. She leaped upon his prone form and began to plunge the sharp metal into him as she screamed loudly. "YOU'RE MINE! MINE! MINE!" over and over. He threw up his arms and hands to stop her but she was strong...her rage fueling each stab. As he tried to defend himself his mind knew he was about to die and he prayed for someone to save him...his prayers were answered with a loud crash as his locked dorm room door flew off its hinges to admit a furious Keiran. It seems he heard Anji's screams and he slammed his shoulder into the door with such force that he broke it down. Seeing the enraged Irishman in the doorway gave Anji hope as Laurel paused in her attack which gave Keiran the opportunity he needed to tackle the deranged woman off of his friend and deliver a punch that rendered her unconscious onto the floor. He saw his dark haired friend breathing hard as he rushed over to Anji, who groaned in agony, to stop the bleeding with one hand while with the other he dialed 911 on his phone...a prayer on his lips for help to arrive soon.

That night would haunt Anji's mind for many years after...the screams of the sirens of the ambulance...the horrified gazes of the students who saw their two school mates covered in blood as they were removed from the dorm room with blood spattering the walls like in a horror movie...all of it haunted him. The outcome of that hellish night was Monica lived and within two weeks was released from the hospital into her parents care,never to be seen again...he heard she couldn't abide to be there anymore with the memory of what happened. He on the other hand had to remain in the hospital for nearly a month because he got an infection from one of the stab wounds in his shoulder that she had inflicted upon him...two in his left shoulder and three deep ones along his arms and hands from where he had tried to deflect the slicing blade from puncturing anything vital. He was lucky that the knife did not cut an artery but each slice was destructive enough for him to bleed profusely..enough to the point he flat lined once upon the operating table before they brought him back and stabilized him again. The whole time Anji was there, Keiran never left his side...he had some friends bring them both their school work from their classes...he was the one who convinced the professors to record their lectures so they both could watch on their computers in the privacy of the room. Without Keiran , Anji knew he would have failed every one of his classes that semester for it was only with the fierce Irishman's unwavering friendship and dedication that he was able to brave life again. During his stay in that cold sterile room they both had learned that Laurel was hospitalized in the mental ward which happened to be located in an adjacent building to the main hospital...Anji felt such terror in that moment that the very woman who had hurt him so brutally was so close to where he helplessly laid upon that bed. The moment he heard that he begged Keiran to not leave him alone, which his friend quickly reassured the trembling man that he would not vacate his side...he would keep him safe.

It was Keiran who called the Sakata family to let them know what happened and to let them know their son was alive....it was around this time that he was adopted by the Sakata family as one of their honorary sons. In that phone call Anji learned that neither of his parents could come because his step-mother was not fit for travel since she had recently miscarried what would have been his step-brother and his father didn't want to leave her alone at this time....it also was because his other brothers, Kaihei-12 and Kaijirou and Kaitarou-7 his half brothers, and his sister Kiri-15 were all underage. Needless to say the entire Sakata family was extremely thankful to Keiran and his Aunt Evie O'Shea for being there by their son/brothers side. Both of the O'Shea's would call Anji's family and give them daily updates on how he was doing and managing it all. The head of the Sakata family, Kaishi, who was Anji's father, tried to convince his eldest son to come back home where he would be safe and could recover...but unfortunately stubbornness ran strong in the Sakata bloodline for Anji refused...telling his father that he wasn't going to run away because some maniac had threatened him. Eventually his family relented and let him stay in the states...mostly because both Aunt Evie and Keiran had swore they would look out for him. That was eleven years ago and now here sat Anji making another attempt at trying to date once more. Since that fateful night he has eluded all endeavors to get him to go out on a date by Keiran and Evie...both always telling him that life and dating was like riding a horse. ~Each time that horse throws you, you just need to climb back on and try...try again~...so far he has been able to evade getting on that demon horse a second time...until now it seems. Don't get him wrong, he has been interested in many men but each time he even thought about giving it a try, Anji would remember that insane look in Laurel's eyes and his heart would slam out of his chest in fear of it happening again. But, there was something about Mitch that made him want to try again...maybe it was the way he laughed , so full and open...maybe it was the kindness in his eyes that held a twinkling of mischief within as he looked upon his sister. Anji wasn't exactly sure why this dark haired man made him feel this way, but he knew Keiran and Evie were right, he needed to try again. Thinking about Keiran's words of dating wisdom, made Anji's mind wander to what his friends would be doing right now. He knew right about now they would be witnessing the yearly blooming of the Sakura blossoms in Kyoto, his hometown in Japan. Anji could just imagine the beautiful blossoms falling like colorful rain as one walked along the paths or picnic under them with family and friends. Suddenly, it was if the very thinking of Keiran had called to the man across the vast ocean into calling Anji's phone...the musical sound of the ringtone shattered the peaceful calm of his home. He saw it was Keiran on the ID and he quickly answered...a teasing tone entering his voice.

"Hey Keir-kun. How's the honeymoon going? Is that boy of yours still able..." suddenly his teasing tone dropped as he heard one word from his friend.

"Anji-san." it was deep and serious over the line. "There has been an incident ...otousan (father) has been diagnosed with prostate cancer...stage 2." suddenly Anji's heart gave a lurch and he was thankful he was already sitting down on the couch...eyes glazing over in fear as tears began to fill his eyes. " He had been complaining of pain in his back and legs for a few weeks...and other problems like urinary and...uhhmmm... getting it..up. So okasan (mother) Cora convinced him to go and see the doctor yesterday..that's when they found it. It's stage 2-b...which means it's metastisized in both sides. The good thing is it hasn't spread beyond and is still treatable...but otousan is not going to be able to work for some time. Otousan and Okasan are talking about closing the Ryokan, since Okasan Kora is going to be focused on taking care of Otousan Kaishi and neither Kaihei or the twins Kaijirou and Kaitarou can run the place by themselves and Kiri can not cook alone..so..." suddenly Anji interrupted Keir. Hearing that his family was going to have to close the Onsen Ryokan for family illness sent a cold dread through him...Anji could not allow that to happen.

"Ke-chan (brother). Tell the family...I am coming home. I'll take the soonest flight there that I can get. Can you stay and help them a few days till I arrive...please ke-chan?" he jumped up off the couch as he rushed around to gather the numbers he needed to call...the people he had to let know what had happened tonight.

"Yeah dearthair (brother). We will wait for you here. Let us know the details of your flight and we will pick you up at the airport. Be safe ke-chan (brother). Ja ne (goodbye)."

"Ja ne, Ke-chan (goodbye, brother)" quickly he hung up the phone and dialed the airport first to see about any flights out...hoping they weren't to expensive at such a short notice. It took less than 20 minutes for him to book a flight from here to Osaka International Airport which laid almost thirty miles from Kyoto, but it was the closest he could get. So, he quickly sent a text to Keiran with the details....

~My flight leaves out at 11 tonight...4 pm your time...Arrive at Osaka International Airport 6 am your time...C U then....Thx.~

....then he rushed around packing as he proceeded to call the Dean of the University he worked at as one of the English Literature Professors. Anji was thankful that the Dean picked up his phone within short time and he explained the situation which his boss showed great compassion and wished him well. He also told Anji that unfortunately he could only hold his job until the Fall semester started up...if his father was well enough by that time then Anji's spot would still be open for him...but come September he would have to hire a replacement. Of course Anji understood ...he was very grateful that the Dean was willing to hold his spot open for him that long...so with reassurances that he would keep the man appraised and not left in the dark, Anji thanked him before hanging up the line. He knew he had five months to figure things out and find a solution that would work for both sides...five months to figure out his life too, probably. He knew some of the problems that the family was under...one was the business would be losing two workers for many months until his father and mother were able to resume their duties once more. As he was packing and thinking about his family's situation he suddenly remembered his date with Mitch tomorrow night and he groaned loudly at having to cancel it...he swiftly dialed the number he was given...hoping he understood and forgive him.

"Hello, Mitch speaking." that smooth voice came over the line a bit eager sounding as if he was waiting for Anji's call.

"Hey Mitch...it's Kai-Anji." he heard a soft gasp of pleasure come over the line. "Look...I'm sorry to call you about this...but I have to cancel our date tomorrow night. I...I...have to go back home to Japan. It's my father...he is sick, so I won't be able...." he stammered out...nervousness and worry evident in his voice that Mitch obviously heard for he broke through Anji's apology to interrupt him.

"Kai-Anji...hey..hey, it's alright. I understand. I'm sorry he is sick. Is there anything I can do?" Anji breathed out a deep sigh of relief that Mitch wasn't mad at him for this...he truly did want to see this man. " What time does your plane leave?" that smooth voice echoed softly across the line and the sound of it was soothing to Anji's ears as he answered him. "11 PM tonight? Hmmm...how about this. Let me take you out to dinner tonight and drive you to the airport so you will not have to worry about your car or having to take a taxi. This way, we can still have that date, if you want...or it can be just a good farewell between friends if you rather do that. Either way, I can still get the pleasure of your company." Anji could not stop the surprised gasp from leaving his lips or the shivers of pleasure running through him that this man still wanted to see him...a feeling of warmth spread through his chest at that thought.

"Uhmmm...Yeah...I think I would like that. Thank you Mitch." he tried to mask how this man effected him with his lovely offer...thinking he didn't do so well by the soft chuckle flowing into his ear which caused his cheeks to bloom with heat from the blush caused by that rich sound.

"How about I pick you up at 7 tonight for dinner? We can talk before you have to catch your flight." by the tone in Mitch's voice, he sounded like he wanted to spend more time with Anji than just a few hours...or maybe that was just wishful thinking on his part.

"That sounds...good...like a plan. I ...will see you at 7 tonight. Here's my address." he quickly gave Mitch his address then they both hung up as Anji went back to quickly finish his packing for his long trip back to the place he once called home...a thought entering his mind as he moved about...

~Maybe it's the way his voice makes me feel safe that makes me want to try again?~

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

*1 MONTH LATER*

It had been a very long and tiring month for the Sakata family...from the very moment Kai-Anji got off the plane to meet his best friends, Keiran and Jamie at the airport, he had practically hit his home soil running with no time to do much of anything else. The last time he was able to relax was that time when Mitch had taken him out to dinner before his flight out. That was one of the memories he would forever treasure...the meal at a new French Polynesian restaurant was great...the company was fantastic and it felt like a balm to his worried soul. But the greatest part of it all was the kiss Mitch and him had shared in the airport bathroom before Anji went past the line where Mitch couldn't go. It was filled with desire and a promise of more whenever Anji came back to the states...whenever they would meet again in the future. Even now, a month later, that kiss would fill his mind with the memory of it and make him feel that same coiling of desire inside for it once again. He could still remember the taste of the chocolate drink upon Mitch's lips that were pressed tightly to his own...the way they moved...the caress of his tongue along the sensitive bottom that heated his blood to the point he forgot they were practically making out in a stall of the men's restroom. It was sexy yet filthy at the same time...those warm lips moved so enticingly upon his that he opened his mouth as a loud moan slipped forth which allowed entrance of Mitch's tongue into his own mouth where it wrapped around his own...sending pulses of heat down into his shaft, making it harden within the tight confines of his trousers. In that moment of time, if Mitch had asked to have sex with him in that stall against that dirty restroom door, he would have in a heart beat. He would have yanked his pants down till they pooled around his ankles, begging to be fucked hard and filled up with Mitch's hot seed as he tried to keep quiet so no one would hear them. The thought of it alone was enough to almost make him orgasm in his pants...but that did not happen at all. Just as they both stopped so they could gather their breaths...Anji went to open his mouth to beg for Mitch to do it but a finger stilled his words as Mitch placed a finger upon Anji's lips... smiling down at him as he huskily whispered.

"I know what you might ask of me and any other day I would in an instant. Know this, that I would have you naked before me ...begging me to fuck your tight hole for so long, so hard that you will remember it for a long time. I would leave you yearning for more so that you would race to Japan to do everything you needed there and come flying back to me as fast as you can." at the sound of those dark husky words of promise in his ear, Anji whimpered in need for that very thing and he saw those blue-green eyes darken in desire. "But....querida (my darling), I don't want just one night to have to remember you by. I want so much more than that...but I have this feeling that you may not be coming back...for a very long time. I...Anji, I don't think I can handle just one taste of you then let you disappear from me. So, I guess what I am saying is this...let's part on a kiss and next time we see each other once more then we will see what happens next." his voice seemed like it was confident this was the best thing...but those sea colored eyes were pleading with Anji to ask for Mitch to take him right here, this moment...then they closed as he took a deep breath. " Let us do this...part as friends who are very attracted to one another for now and pray that we will see each other again." his words made Anji's chest ache but he could see the reasoning behind them. He gave a pained nod and leaned in one last time...taking a deep breath of Mitch's clean scent into his lungs as he placed a soft warm hand onto Mitch's cheek....giving a tender chaste kiss that was part sorrow and partly the beginnings of love, upon those warm lips. As he moved away, Anji saw those eyes still closed as they held onto the last memory of his face and the kiss of goodbye they shared between them...he turned around , leaving out that door and without looking back he made his way past that barrier to board his plane...then Anji was gone into the night.

Thinking of Mitch, he realized he had not spoken to the man since...except for a brief moment when he got off the plane to let him know that he made it safely to Japan and that he would call him when he could. It seemed the universe was against them every time, for each time he had a moment to steal away to call Mitch, Anji realized that it was the middle of the night or the wee hours of the morning ,when no one in their right mind would be up at such a indecent hour , and stopped himself from dialing that number no matter how much he wanted to. He would make a promise to himself that he would call Mitch in the middle of Japan's night when Mitch would be awake but every time Anji tried he would pass out before he could do it from exhaustion. After two weeks Anji began to hope that maybe Mitch would call him instead but not a single ring from the one person he prayed would call him. By that point Anji began to give up all hope of ever hearing that smooth voice in his ear again and attributed it to the universes way of telling him that him and Mitch were never going to be together....maybe dating was a lost cause for him after all. It didn't matter in this moment if the universe decided to not let them be together...Anji needed to hear his smooth rich voice one more time.

With a deep sigh Anji grabbed his phone and made his way outside to sit upon a step outside in the fresh air...a loud and weary groan slipped past his lips as he scrolled through his contact info looking for Mitch's number. While searching he also thought about his two friends who several weeks ago went back to the states. He was so grateful and relieved that both Keiran and Jamie had stayed on for two weeks to help the family in running the Onsen while his mother Kora was busy setting up surgeries and treatments that father Kaishi would need to help cure his cancer. With quick fingers , Anji found Mitch's number and dialed...hoping the man would not be to upset at him for calling at such a late hour...it may be only be 6 PM here in Japan, but in the states it was after 4 AM. The phone began to ring and he waited with breath held...his heart beginning to speed up at knowing any second a dark sexy voice would echo over that line. It rang only a few times then suddenly a high pitched whistling tone came over followed by a electronic woman's voice...

~I'm sorry; the number you have reached is not in service, or temporarily is disconnected. The number you have reached is not in service at this time. This is a recording.~

In that moment Anji's heart plummeted into his stomach...a gasp broke from his lips as the phone slipped from his fingers to fall and clatter onto the ground.. a loud echoing sound rang out into the darkness as his mind froze on a single thought.

~Oh Gods...I'm to late.~


	3. The Hunger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thought you would like to see what they ate for dinner on their date...I was very interested my self so here it is...these dishes really exist at a French Polynesian Restaurant.
> 
> (Appetizers:) Pupu Platter-marinated chicken chunks wrapped in bacon, eggrolls, crab ragoon, and breaded cheese, ham, & mushrooms that are fried.(serves 2)
> 
> (Entree:) Thai Red Curry Chicken- coconut, bamboo shoots, baby bell peppers, sweet peas, thai basil & lemon grass sauteed together.
> 
> Mai-Kai Beef- sweet mini peppers, tiny onions, singapore black pepper sauce over beef.
> 
> (Sides:) Truffled Mushroom Rice
> 
> (Drinks:) Malayan Mist- light rum & juices skillfully blended into a refreshingly smooth drink that is garnished with fresh mint
> 
> Chocolate Typhoon- a special blend of chocolate & strawberries
> 
> (Dessert:) Cherries Hawaiian- bing cherries sauteed in a flaming rum sauce served over coconut ice cream. (serves 2)
> 
> A/N: I just found out that obtaining a Work Visa to Japan can not be done in 2 weeks time...it takes months, so what happened for Mitch and Ana is not what can happen in reality. But for the sake of the story...go with it and enjoy the story from here on out. Sorry for the inaccuracy.

*MITCH'S POV* (1 MONTH AGO)

It had been a long and very boring day today for Mitchell Ortiz. All day he has been running around from store to store in the large shopping mall with his sister Ana as she looked at all the cute baby clothes she saw in the many shops around. By late afternoon, Mitch swore if he had to look at another onesie today he was going to scream. Just as his sister Ana was coming towards him with another onesie in hand...this time it was bubble gum pink with dark pink ruffles on the butt, his phone began to ring. He swiftly grabbed his phone to answer it before she could show him another mind numbing piece of clothing.

"Hello, Mitch speaking." his voice came across a bit eager in his joy that he had something to distract him from this insanity of his sisters.

"Hey Mitch...it's Kai-Anji." the sound of that lovely, silky, dark voice over the line sent a thread of pleasure down his spine and he gasped in delight that Anji called him....the next words he heard diminished that joy a bit. "Look...I'm sorry to call you about this ...but I have to cancel our date tomorrow night. It's my father...he is sick..." Mitch groaned in sympathy for the man at hearing the fear and pain in that voice...he could hear the heart wrenching apology in the man's voice and sought to ease some of his pain.

"Kai-Anji...hey...hey, it's alright. I understand. I am sorry he is sick. Is there anything I can do?" he asked softly as he heard Anji breath out a sigh...Mitch really wanted to do something that would ease this anguished man's burden he was now carrying. Maybe there was something he could do now and still get to see that man who captured his attention all throughout his nephew's wedding...and maybe it would take his mind a tiny bit off his troubles too. "What time does your plane leave tonight?" he listened as Anji answered and hope flared up that maybe his idea would work. "Hmmm... how about this? Let me take you out to dinner tonight and drive you to the airport so you will not have to worry about your car or having to take a taxi. This way, we can still have that date, if you want...or it can be just a good farewell between friends if you rather do that. Either way I can still get the pleasure of your company." he was hoping for a date but would settle with it being between friends...he heard a sharp intake of air and felt a thrill that his words were the cause of it. Hearing the man's reply only fueled that feeling inside as that silky voice stammered into his ear...he softly laughed at the sound, knowing inside that he made Anji blush. " How about I pick you up at 7 tonight for dinner? We can talk before you have to catch your flight." he tried to contain how eager he felt at knowing in a few hours he was going to bask in Anji's company. Quickly they both agreed to see each other and he got the address where Anji lived, then they parted with a promise to see one another soon. He pocketed his phone with a excited sigh and turned back around to see Ana staring at him as she tapped her foot in vexation that he had ignored her...the dreaded onsie still in her hand.

"And, who was that might I ask?" her tone was a bit sharp from having to wait for his attention...he wanted to cringe away but he stood there like a champ as he answered her.

"That was Kai-Anji. He had to cancel our date tomorrow...." she narrowed her eyes in anger that the first man who had caught Mitch's attention in a long while was backing out of their date. Her brother had not really given any man a second look since the day he acquired custody of her 7 years ago and had been to focused on school and work to have any time for such things. So now here he was finally doing something just for himself and the idiot of a man was backing out without giving her amazing brother a chance....her anger rose up in her.

"Why...is he canceling? It better be good or so help me next time I see that pendejo (jackass), I will castrar (castrate) him and...." her voice began to rise in her anger and Mitch knew if he didn't stop her now then she would cause quit a ruckus with the heat of her Latin rage.

"Whoa! Whoa there hermana (sister)! We rescheduled it for tonight. And yes he had good reason...he has to leave town tonight to go back home for awhile. His padre (father) is sick." she suddenly let out a squeal of delight at hearing about how it was tonight now...but then it turned into a gasp of horror as tears began to fall from her eyes and he had to hold her as she sobbed loudly into his chest...shoppers eyes gazed at him for a moment before moving on. He was so embarrassed at all the looks he was being given by the other shoppers as he held the crying woman in his arms. His thoughts silently filled with a vow that if she ever got pregnant again, he was moving across country for there was no way he could survive a second time with the hormonal woman.

~Dios (God) this woman was going to be the death of me. ~

*********************

The restaurant Mitch and Anji went to was a new French Polynesian style restaurant that was open air and sat close to the water. The air that blew across the bay was not chilly but perfect so diners could sit comfortably at their table in their leather and driftwood carved chairs as they watched some dancers performing some calm and elegant moving Island dance that Mitch didn't know the name of but thought it was beautiful. The songs they moved to were not loud or jarring in anyway but added to the soothing tropical ambiance as they both were led over to a table big enough for two...a more secluded and romantic atmosphere for their first and hopefully not last date. Looking across the table, Mitch had to focus on the menu before him, instead of the alluring man across from him. Tonight, Anji was dressed in a lovely white long sleeved shirt that was open a little bit at the top...contrasting perfectly with his creamy tanned skin and his dark hair. He had paired it with a nice fitting dark pants that hugged his backside so perfectly that Mitch had to fight the urge to caress along those pert globes with his fingers. Needless to say it was hard to not touch...he did not want to give this man cause to end their date early or to never want to see him again...so he behaved himself. It was nice that they both agreed to share the appetizer- the Papu Platter which consisted of four types of food to nibble on. There was marinated chicken chunks wrapped in bacon, egg rolls with seasoned vegetables, crab ragoon, and a dish of breaded cheese, ham, and mushroom that was fried together to perfection. Each tiny dish was designed to tease the appetite and senses...each taste would call forth little pleased moans...tongues would slide out to chase the barest of juices and crumbs that escaped...eyes would partially close in pleasure as they savored these samplings of foods before them...it was erotic to see. As they both nibbled on their food Mitch asked the dreaded question...hoping to not ruin the mood created between them.

"So, can I ask...what is wrong with your father?" he saw those brown eyes glance up quickly at him before his dark lashes lowered to conceal some of his worry...he did not succeed, for Mitch reached across the table to take a hand there where one of his thumbs softly caressed to bring comfort to the somber man. "Hey Kai-Anji...It's okay amor (love), I am here for you. If you don't want to talk about it then we wont...but if you want an ear to listen to what is worrying you then I am here for you." he tried to express with his eyes the same thing as he yearned to soothe Anji's pain.

"I... it's alright. Thank you...I appreciate that." Anji gently squeezed the hand holding his...but he did not let go. " I guess I'm scared more than anything. Earlier I got a call from Keir, who's still in Japan on his honeymoon with Jamie, telling me otousan...my father , has been diagnosed with stage 2 prostrate cancer. He told me it's treatable ...but still the thought of cancer, scares me to my soul. You always hear it happening to others and how it's so fatally deadly...but I never expected it to happen to someone I love." his voice began to break on that last part...alerting Mitch that Anji was on the verge of tears. He knew if that happened Anji would be mortified, so he quickly changed the subject in hopes to ease his friend.

"You know...today, when you called earlier, I was trapped in baby HELL with my diablo (devil) of a sister. She had dragged me store to store looking at baby clothes for the baby...making these cooing noises over everything she saw." he quickly let go of Anji's hand to reach for his phone...pulling it out to show an image he had on it to Anji...knowing it would bring a smile to his face. "Here is the latest one she found." he tapped on the image and turned it around for Anji to look at ...he began to laugh at what he saw there. There stood Mitch in some department store looking like he was physically in pain while holding this awful bubble gum pink onesie with dark pink ruffles on the butt and sparkling pink writing across the front "If you think I'm cute , you should see my Uncle." hearing Anji laugh made Mitch feel warm inside...it was full and rich in sound...it was something he could listen to every day.

"Please, tell me...she got that. It is very cute and..." suddenly he began to blush as he glanced away, letting his voice trail off as he handed the phone back...it sparked Mitch's curiosity ...he had to know the rest of what Anji was thinking.

"And...?" he tried to coax it out, seeing Anji's blush intensify more before he blurted out the rest of the sentence.

"And...very accurate. The uncle is cute and sweet." he quickly grabbed his drink up...a lovely concoction of light rum and juices blended into a refreshingly smooth drink that was garnished with mint...and took a sip to try and hide how much he was blushing from this confession. He could easily see from the corner of his eyes the pleasant surprise on Mitch's face before it turned into a sexy smirk that for some reason did something to him. That was how the rest of their dinner went as they lightly flirted over entree's of Thai Red Curry Chicken and Mai-Kai Beef with sides of Truffled Mushroomed Rice ,that was shared between them ...then continuing on over a decadent dessert called Cherries Hawaiian meant for two..both moaning in delight over the coconut ice cream that was topped by cherries in rum sauce. Before they knew it, the clock struck 9 PM and they set out for the airport so Anji could check in...but not before a slight disagreement over the bill which was won by Mitch when he said ~I asked...my treat.Next time it can be yours.~ smirking as he knew he had won. Once they both had gotten into the car all their flirting and teasing through dinner settled around them like a cloud...charging the air within the small enclosure with sexually charged tension. 

They both found themselves stealing glances at each other when they thought the other wasn't looking...both sets of hands clenched so not to reach out and touch the other for they both knew if they did , then they may not be able to stop in time for Anji to make his flight. Finally they made it to the airport and Mitch walked him inside to see him off. It was after the moment Anji received his ticket...but before he walked past the barriers that Mitch was not allowed to cross...that all their tension finally reached it's apex. It was the knowledge that once Anji crossed over that line it would be the end of this wonderful night and he may never see this man again...that provoked him into action. When Anji turned to look at him to say good-bye, Mitch reached out to take that elegant hand within his own and gently tugged him along to a place he thought may offer some privacy for them.... which happened to be the Men's Restroom of all places. He saw the raised eyebrow and the look Anji gave him as they entered and he just smiled sheepishly at the man who still followed him along.

"Ah...Anji...I know this might be strange...but ...uhhmmm..." he glanced away in nervousness as he ran a hand through his dark curls. ".....I wanted to kiss you before you left, but I didn't want others staring at us. I ...wanted a moment of privacy to be shared..." he didn't finish what he was saying for suddenly Anji tightened his hold on Mitch's hand and dragged him to a stall far from the door... a determined glint in those dark brown eyes. He was shocked at Anji's bold move of leading him to a shadowy lit stall where he pulled him in and locked the door behind them...sealing them both in their own little private bubble as the elegant man peered at him.

"Now, we are alone." he deeply stated...waiting for Mitch to make the next move because it was obvious he had pushed his daring to the limit for him. Taking notice of how secluded this was, Mitch gave Anji a heated smile as he reached a hand up to settle gently on that smooth cheek. Stepping closer to Anji's slender body he tilted his head and slowly descended until their lips touched. The electricity of desire shooting through them was instantaneous from the second he touched those soft lips and Mitch felt every nerve tingle within him as a hunger swiftly rose up. He could not help the moan that was pulled from deep inside him, from escaping...nor the reaction that was caused within his slacks whenever Anji answered with his own soft cry. Hearing those sweet whimpers falling from Anji's lips made his desire for this man rise up and roar for him to claim this sweet beautiful man as his own. He slanted his head more as he parted his lips to allow his tongue to ease out and caress Anji's bottom lip...begging for entrance into that tempting cavern beyond. Mitch was granted entrance almost immediately and without any delay he slid inside to taste the welcoming muscle that met his own. He could still taste the minty rum from the drink Anji had consumed earlier at dinner and he wanted more...growling hungrily as he began to aggressively sweep inside to gather the warm minty flavor there. At some point his brain registered that Anji's arms had wrapped around his waist and was pulling him closer to that delectable body...those long slender fingers clutched tightly to the back of his shirt...feeling Anji rocking his hips against his. In that moment, everything registered...they both were so aroused that it was practically painful as he could feel Anji's own hard shaft pressing against his....the only thing keeping them from touching was the cloth barrier between them. They were both on the verge of ripping each others clothes off and fucking each other senseless here in this airport bathroom stall...it was both filthy and erotic at the same time, but it was not where Mitch wanted their first time they had sex to be. He wanted the first time he made love to Anji to be on a bed where he could worship every inch of his creamy skin upon his body from the top of his dark head...all the way down to those long toes hidden within those shoes of his...but not here. So with tremendous inner strength he pulled away and placed a finger against Anji's warm pliable lips to stall the words he could see simmering right beneath that dark chocolate gaze...smiling in understanding because he also felt the same way.

~Not here in some filthy bathroom stall where anyone can hear us...hear his dark silky voice crying in pleasure.~ he thought as he leaned close to whisper dark words of a promise he wished he could fulfill in this moment.

"I know what you might ask of me and any other day I would in an instant. Know this, that I would have you naked before me...begging me to fuck your tight hole for so long...so hard that you will remember it for a long time. I would leave you yearning for me that you would race to Japan to do everything you need there and come flying back to me as fast as you can." as he spoke he heard Anji whimper at his words and a strong desire to do just that , to empty his seed deep in that slender body,almost consumed him, but he held back still. "But... querido (my darling), I don't want just one night to have to remember you by. I want so much more ..but I have this feeling that you may not be coming back...for a very long time. I...Anji, I don't think I could handle just one taste of you then let you disappear from me." he took a breath feeling it tremble in his lungs at what he was about to say. " So, I guess what I am saying is this...let's part on a kiss and next time we see each other once more, then we will see what happens next." his tone seemed steady even though he didn't feel it because he knew his eyes were pleading...for Anji to agree or to just say ~ To hell with it!~ and ride him till they both were spent completely. But Mitch knew he should not make Anji unable to get on that plane and keep him from his father's side...he had to do this for Anji, otherwise...if Anji missed his flight then he would hate Mitch, all over just a single night of pleasure. He couldn't do that to either of them, so he did the hardest thing he had to do in a long time...he let Anji go and prayed that one day Kai-Anji Sakata would come back to him again. As that bathroom door shut behind the Asian man who somehow within a few hours had stolen his heart, Mitch sank onto the floor and cried for the first time since his mother died 7 years ago.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

*2 WEEKS LATER*

It had been two weeks since that night Anji had left for Japan and in that time Mitch felt miserable. From the moment he got back to the hotel where him and Ana were staying at he seemed to be moving on autopilot...not fully aware of what all was going on. His sister noticed and when she demanded to know what had happened, he could only say ~I let him go.~ which worried her a lot for never before had she seen her brother like this...not even when their mother died. To her, Mitch was always so strong, so put together...nothing could bring him down...until now it seemed. There was a brief moment when he perked up and that was when Anji briefly called after landing, but it was all to brief for he had to go since Keiran and Jamie arrived to pick him up...Mitch sunk back into his misery shortly after hanging up.It was two days after Anji left for Japan before they checked out of the hotel and made their way home...which proved to be the most miserable ride she had to endure...ever, for he was silent the whole way...all 400 miles back home. In that moment Ana was not sure if her brother would ever be alright again for it seemed that this wasn't just some infatuation but possibly...her brother was in love after just one night. Once home he sulked around their small apartment...eyes always straying to his phone in hopes of a call from a certain dark eyes man...it never came in that time. At one point Ana became so furious at Kai-Anji, believing the man had played with her generous brothers heart and affections like a low life and now her brother's heart was crushed at such callous behavior.It had been nearly two weeks since Anji left before Mitch began to get his old glimmer back once more and that was the day that their well established life took a new turn.

It was one of those days you hear about in books where the sky was perfectly clear...a light wind blew to keep the air fresh...birds were singing in the trees and bee's buzzed happily in the flower garden. Ana was in the kitchen waddling around baking some Montecedo cookies, a soft buttery flavored Spanish cookie, in hopes of bringing a smile to Mitch's eyes, since they were his favorites, whenever he came home from work....when suddenly the front door opened and Mitch strode in. She quickly yelped out loud in surprise at his unexpected arrival and dropped the pan of cookies onto the ground which caused him to rush into the kitchen.

"Ana! You alright hermana (sister)?" he had a worried look on his face that told her he thought she had gotten hurt. With a sigh and a look of disgust at the mess on the floor, she quickly reassured him.

"Si, Si (yes)...estoy bien hermano (I am fine brother). You just startled me is all. Damn it, Mitch, this was supposed to be a surprise for when you got home from work tonight." her voice went soft like she was about to cry and Mitch quickly sought to calm her before the waterworks began.

"I am sorry for ruining your surprise little sister. I just have some important news that we need to discuss." that worked for her eyes began to clear up and her insatiable curiosity was engaged with that one sentence. He knelt down and began to clean up the mess on the floor as he talked about the reason he came home early. "Uhmm..today at the Head to Toe Rehab Clinic (H2T Rehab), the Senior Therapist , Dr.Clarke, came up to me and made me an offer...a chance to move up in the company." he reached out a hand for the dustpan to hold the cookie pieces as Ana swept them in before emptying it into the trash can as he continued. "It would be a pay raise for us...a way to provide a better home for you and little Jayde whenever she comes." so far it was sounding good, but Ana knew there was more...she knew there was always a catch for nothing could be this good, so she waited for the rest. " There is a catch..." she snorted and rolled her eyes. "...It's not here in the states. It lays in one of our sister offices, overseas...located in the Kyoto Prefecture of Japan." Ana's screech of shock almost made him go deaf..he shook his head to clear the ringing in his ears. " I told Dr. Clarke, I wanted to talk to you first. If i take this job, the company will provide us a place to live...a pay raise..and better health insurance. They also will help me to pursue in getting more training and certification in Sports Physical Therapy as my secondary specialization. The Head of the (PT) department there is willing to train me since he needs help handling all the athletics divisions around the area. It seems there is a shortage at this time of (PT's) specializing in sports on the Kyoto Prefecture...so if I accept this position, I will be working under a Dr. Hiraoka...Yuriko Hiraoka, who is the one offering this position. I believe Dr.Clarke and Dr. Hiraoka were friends back in college, so he was the one he came to with this request...and Dr. Clarke thought of me first." the entire time Mitch was talking , his sister sat at the kitchen table and listened while thinking over what would be a fantastic boost to her brothers chosen career.

She, better than most, understood the reason why Mitch went into Physical Therapy and specialized in the geriatrics field. It was shortly after their mother, Elena Ortiz, had passed away from cystic fibrosis that created a build up of excess fluids in her lungs. The doctor who did her autopsy told them if she had gone for some manual therapy done by a (PT), then the fluids could have been cleared up and their mother might have lived longer. In that moment, Mitch decided to become a physical therapist so that he could help others, while Ana decided to go into nursing. But in the end , it was an elderly widowed lady in their building, Mrs. Ramos, who gave Mitch the encouragement towards specializing in Geriatrics. She was an amazing woman who helped by watching Ana each day while he worked and went to class...feeding them both meals throughout the week and other countless little things to help them both as he struggled to balance between a job and his college courses at the same time. Without Mrs. Ramos, all of this would never have been possible at all and one day Mitch was able to repay her kindness when she fell down a few stairs and fractured her knee that required surgery. When it came time for her to receive rehab for it, it was Mitch who helped her with with it by coming over every evening before starting his homework by taking her through the exercises he learned in his classes...which saved her money and gave him the practice he needed. After she had regained mobility again, she pushed him into geriatrics field because of his sweet and gentle manner he exhibited towards his patient.

"So, hermano (brother)...any more downsides to this offer that we should know? This sounds fantastic...almost to good to be true." she stared at him with her hands out..waiting for more.

"Well...there is only one other problem. By accepting this, it means we are leaving our life here behind...everything we have done...taking only memories of madre (mother) with us...there's the issue of learning a different language. It is Japan and shipping is expensive, so we must pack light and take only the necessities ...we can buy the rest of what we need there. Also...." he paused briefly as he looked away in nervousness before meeting her eyes. ".....we need to be there in less than three weeks...so we have to be packed and ready in two that way our stuff can be shipped a head." she stared at him in shock as his mind raced over everything he said.

~ Being ready in two weeks to move to another country was madness...who was capable of doing that? But he did say they were to pack light, so really it was separating out important stuff from the not necessary to the can live without...which was far more manageable and less insane. The plus side to all of this..if they could pull it off..it would mean getting to see another country that they would otherwise never be able to see...ever. Currently, I am not in school since it is hard to do it while pregnant and we both agreed after Jayde is born I would go back. Neither of us had said it had to be here in the states...Japan would work also, they had community colleges there also.~ she sat there in thought for a few minutes, lost in her thoughts before she shook it off to give him a serious look.

"Well then...I guess we need to begin packing now." he looked startled at her answer. "Listen, Mitch, this is a perfect opportunity for you...a chance of a lifetime for us to better our lives and if you do not take this opportunity that is being offered to you on a silver platter than....dear hermano (brother), I will be very pissed at you." the look she gave him would have made sterner men quell before her and he quickly nodded in agreement ...but he had to voice the biggest concern in the room...Jayde.

"What about...the baby? Is it safe for you to travel at this time?" his tone was one of complete concern...there was no way Mitch was going to ever jeopardize either of their health's just for the promise of something better...they have been doing just fine for the last 7 years with what they have...there was no need to endanger the two most precious lives to him.

"I am fine...healthy and the baby is strong. Besides, so long as it is before my 36 weeks, I can slip under the radar to board a plane. I am not staying here Mitchell...I want to see the world...I want to give my daughter more in life than either of us had. I want to be able to offer Jayde the experiences we both have wished for." her impassioned speech to him let him know how strongly she felt about this. He could hear a longing in her voice to have had this very chance for herself while growing up and he felt a bit remorseful that he had not been able to give her this...until now. Here was the chance of a lifetime to give to his sister and her daughter...the chance to see the world like she always dreamed...it was all now within his hands the ability to do it and he decided he was not going to let it pass and let his sister, who's eyes were practically begging him, miss this.

"Alright hermana (sister), Let's do this then. You get started on all this and I will call Dr. Clarke to let him know...we accept." he began to laugh as she squealed in joy, then kissed his cheek before running off to begin. He called Dr. Clarke quickly and found out he needed to go back in to fill out transfer paperwork so it could be processed through as soon as possible. When he leaned his head into the room Ana was in, he found her already sorting through stuff ...creating three piles of Vital, Non-Vital, and To Think About. "Hey Ana, I have to go back in to fill out paperwork for us both so it can be sent over quickly." he saw her wave goodbye over her shoulder and focused on the task before her. He chuckled as he turned away...a lightness in his footsteps at the promise of the adventure they were about to embark on. As he drove down the road his thoughts circled around upon a certain dark haired man that he had not heard from in the last two weeks...but oh how he wished he did. He had waited and waited for his call...every night he prayed for his phone to ring...nothing. He even contemplated a few times to call Anji, but he knew the poor man was busy and with the time difference between here and Japan, it was difficult...also he was not sure a phone call at 2 AM would be appreciated. 

~Well I'm going to Japan now and there would be no time difference between us...maybe I will see him again. Well, Kyoto here we come.~

**********************

It, amazingly, took Ana and him only a week to shuffle through, categorized into what to take and pack their stuff to be shipped over. Obviously most of the stuff that went was the baby stuff and memorabilia that they both agreed they could not part from since it was their mothers. The rest of the boxes were their clothes and a few treasures that took up maybe two handfuls of boxes. Now here Mitch stood in his soon to be ex-living room, marveling at how fast everything was moving...the movers would be here later today to pick up their stuff and take it to their new home in Kyoto that the company had provided for them there. The apartment that was being provided was nice with all the important things they would need... a kitchen, a living room and bedrooms. Unfortunately something got lost in translation about him and Ana being siblings not spouses, when it came to bedrooms because it was only a two bedroom home...which meant was not a comfortable situation for a brother and sister that was expecting a baby. Someone was going to have to share a room together and Japanese apartments tend to not be very big in comparison to the ones in the states. At first, when Mitch saw the paperwork on it, he believed Ana would have a big problem...but she surprised him with her show of maturity and common sense. She decided that her and Jayde would share the larger bedroom...after all they were both girls and they needed to be away from the yucky boy cooties. He couldn't help laughing at her as he gave her a hug...telling her how proud he was of her and without her he would be lost in life. She blushed...then cried...then laughed loudly as she smacked his arm in sisterly affection.

Taking a deep sigh, Mitch realized by this time next week, he would be in Japan at his new job, since he was starting early...practically the day after his feet touched Japan soil, leaving his poor pregnant sister to slowly turn their apartment into a home. As he wandered room to room one last time he recalled the memories him and Ana had created here in this small home ...his thoughts turned to Kai-Anji. In the time he was gone Mitch learned a few things this past week from his nephew Jamie , who had finally come back home and called Mitch with the news of what was going on. He found out Kai-Anji was as busy as he feared, but even though he had not called Mitch, the Latin man was always on the Asian man's own mind...which brought a warmth to his heart. He then was told to wait for Anji's call when things calmed down enough...but unfortunately there was no way Kai-Anji could call him now. Just yesterday the land-line phone had been canceled and his cell phone it seemed had met its untimely demise when he accidentally dropped it while taking their not needed things to the local Goodwill. He watched in horror as it hit the ground, shattering the screen...at least he was able to save his contacts and pictures on the SIM card so he could upload them onto another phone whenever he got one which would be when he got to Japan. At least before the death of his phone he got to tell Jamie that he was moving and to let Anji know.

~I wish I could talk to Anji one last time before we leave...to let him know.~

With a deep sigh, Mitch turned away from his old life and prepared to face this new chapter of his life waiting for him across that vast blue ocean.


	4. Stormy Encounters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: The robe Anji is wearing can be found at this site<> https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-2013-mens-sexy-sleepwear-silk-robes-for-men-pajamas-fantasia-dressing-gown-kimono-men-sexy/1499790384.html
> 
> *Wan-chan: it is a comforting sound to say to a scared animal...a cute way of saying Woof.
> 
> *Matcha tea: a Japanese green tea that is used to aid in treating cancer herbally.

It must have taken Anji a few hours to rouse himself enough out of his stupor and feelings of hopelessness over hearing the sound of the automated service telling him that Mitch's number was no longer in service. He knew he should have tried sooner to call Mitch, but he kept putting it off ,each time he thought of him, by telling himself he was being considerate to the other man and letting him sleep. But Anji knew, even if he couldn't call at such late hours, he could have at least sent a text message to him to let him know he was still thinking of him...but, even that was denied to him now. When he tried Mitch's mobile phone, he got another message telling him that number was no longer in service also...which led to Anji staring in regret at his phone as tears silently fell from his eyes at the loss of something that might have been wonderful. So, now here he was trying another number in hopes of a friendly voice to ease his heart ache inside...he was calling his brother, Keiran...the phone rang for a few seconds before it was answered by a worried and sleepy voice.

"Anji...is everything alright with otousan (father)?" his voice was strained across the line as he worried about the reason of this call...while trying to rouse himself from bed.

"Yes, aniki (brother). Otousan is fine. He is resting comfortably right now. The surgery went well. They believe they got it all, so next week he will start treatments to ensure that it is beat back enough for it to go into remission." he heard a relieved sigh over the phone. "Mitch? Are you okay to talk right now...I...I need to talk. I need your advice aniki (brother)" he heard the surprise over the line before it settled into something serious.

"Oh. Of course Anji-san. For you, I will always have the time aniki (big brother)." there was the sound of movement as Keiran got out of bed...the sound of a soft muffled voice within his pillow could be heard from Jamie.

"Daddy...what's going on?" the young man murmured sleepily.

"Shhh...baby, it's Anji ...he needs to talk about something. Go back to sleep mo chroi (my love)...I'll be in the living room." there was a sweet murmur of ~okay daddy~ then a soft kiss before Keir left his husbands side to make his way into the living room..still naked and sat upon his couch to talk to his best friend who lay over 5,000 miles away. "Okay...what's wrong watashi no yujin (my friend)?" his voice was calm, deep and soothing to Anji's ears.

"I think I let something good get away from me. I told you about my date with Mitch before I left." he heard Keir's sound of agreement...both men knew Anji did not tell everything that had occurred that night for both men were not the kiss and tell type. "Well aniki...earlier I tried to call Mitch's phones and..." his voice trailed off as he felt a burning behind his eyes that told how much his heart was feeling the loss of this. Anji fought back the moisture trying to accumulate in his dark eyes when he heard Keir's soft voice of understanding echoing over the line.

"I know aniki...both lines are no longer in service because Ana and him moved to of all places, Japan." he could hear the gasp of surprise and he began to chuckle. "Hai (yes). It seems he got a promotion along with a transfer to one of their sister clinics. He went over to there nearly a week ago...he should be there now and about to start or already started his new job." as Keir spoke he could hear how Anji's breathing changed from despondency to one of hope and he smiled at the prospect of maybe easing his best friends misery. "They both were very excited about all of this...new life...a fresh start. Well anyways, they had to cancel their phones here and get new ones when they get over to Japan. As soon as they call with their new numbers, I'll pass it on to you or have him call you with it." as Keir spoke a yawn broke through, telling Anji that Keir was still tired. Hearing what Keir said eased Anji's pain and his old self rose up again where he felt like teasing his friend once more.

"You sound tired Aniki. Is that husband of yours wearing you out? Maybe you're getting to old to keep up with that young boy." he heard a growl coming across the line and Anji held back the chuckle bubbling up inside of him. It was a relief knowing why Mitch had not called him lately...he was to busy trying to get ready for his move. Anji did love teasing his friend like this...he knew he was going to miss doing this in person for several months he would be away.

"Shut up...you're just as old as me, so you have no room to talk." he snarked with very little heat at his friend. "And, I am able to keep up just fine...thank you very much, so mind your own business." that deep voice griped at him...both hoping that one day it will be Anji's turn to be on the receiving end and Keiran couldn't wait for that day to arrive.

"Hai (yes)...I hear you Ojisan (old man)...I hear you." the laughter in his tone incited Keir's own to join in and they both basked in their bond for a few moments before Anji's laugh trailed off...it seems there was still doubts in his mind that could be heard over the line. "Uhmm...aniki..did Mitch...uhmm, talk about me at all?" he hated how uncertain his voice sounded even to his own ears. "I mean...ugghh..." he let out a loud gust of frustrated air as he began to blush while rubbing the back of his neck. "Damn. I guess I'm sounding like some chick, huh?" there was a soft chuckle on the other end of the line.

"Hai, but you are forgiven this time." Anji snorted loudly at Keir. "Hey, aniki, I am happy you like him...he's a good man and pretty decent. The way he takes care of his family is admirable and...hai, he did talk about you. Lord have mercy, you both...I had to listen to him talking to Jaime about how sweet you were...how handsome you were. Dhia (God), it was funny and frustrating to hear how worried he was that you may have not been interested in him all because you had not called or sent a text...all because you told him that You would call. He wanted to call you many times, but he knew you were extremely busy with everything...so he waited for you to contact him like you said you would. Now, YOU, are worrying about the same thing...I swear, I should become a part time relationship counselor from all the assistance I'm giving to you both." Keir huffed for a moment ...rubbing a hand down his face before sitting forward in his seat. "Look aniki, he is still waiting to hear from you, so as soon as he gets his new number to give to us...I'll tell him to send it to you also. Call him aniki...or better yet, go see him where he works...it's at Zenshin Rihabiri, the Whole Body Clinic, there in Kyoto. Go there and offer to take him out for lunch...we both know he would love that." he could hear Anji softly sigh before chuckling which told Keir that he had calmed his friends worries for now. Keir knew the cause of Anji's worries and fears and they were valid, judging from what had happened in the past to him. He understood how much Laurel Tavers actions that night had damaged his friend and left more scars that was not visible to the eye...how this once dauntless man now suffered from PTSD (post traumatic stress syndrome) when it came to allowing anyone close again. It took over eleven years for Anji to steel his nerves enough to accept a date with Mitch which spoke volumes to Keir about how strong the attraction was between the two men. Then for him to be worrying about how Mitch felt about him told Keir that Mitch was going to be the best thing to happen to Anji...maybe this man would be able to finally heal his friend where no one else had been capable of doing. "Anji...aniki...please say you will try to give him a chance and not letting your past prevent you from seeking happiness. You deserve all the love you can get in life, so don't let your fears stand in your way of it. She is gone and can never hurt you anymore..the universe is granting you this opportunity, so grab it and don't let that kurutta bichi (crazy bitch) win anymore." Keir's voice was filled with such passion and belief in what he was saying that it flowed down the line to wrap around Anji...giving him the same belief in what his friend said.

"Yes..you are right. I know in my heart he would not hurt me...but it is hard to not look over my shoulder...but you are right, it is time to let go...Mitch is worth it...worth me trying for him." the last part was said on a whisper, but Keiran heard and smiled. In that moment the door to the bedroom opened and out walked Jamie...naked, as he padded over to turn on their coffee pot while Keir and Anji began to make casual conversation. Keir's eyes tracked his husbands movements...the way those long slender legs moved so gracefully..the way those beautiful globes of his backside flexed with each movement that made Keir's hands itch to caress and squeeze those plump mounds. He could feel his mouth watering and his "buddy" below responding to this gorgeous vision tantalizing him. As he gazed at his blond boy, he saw those blue eyes glance his way as a smirk touched those lips...suddenly a twinkle of mischief was dancing in those blue eyes as Jamie began to sensually move towards where Keiran was still sitting upon the couch...his lower lip between his white teeth. With no words and not making a sound he came over to stand in front of his beloved...then slowly sank down to his knees in front of his husband that was speechless. He watched as his lover got a wicked look on his face as he placed a finger to those tempting lips...telling Keir to be quiet. Those lips twitched up in a smile whenever he saw the older man shake his head ~No~ .... Jaime nodded in disagreement, then before Keir could stop his love, the young blond swooped down and engulfed his thick shaft into that wet haven of his mouth...swallowing him down to the root. During that time Keir was trapped between heaven and hell as he fought to not make a sound while watching those lush lips wrapped around his thick girth sliding up and down along his thick length, giving him such sweet, exquisite pleasure...all while Anji chattered in his ear about what all had happened in the last few weeks. He could not tell you later what the man said as his resolve to not utter a sound was breaking down bit by bit until finally it snapped whenever Jaime did something with his agile tongue that made a sharp cry of ~Dhia (Oh God)!~ burst from his lips...suddenly Anji's voice stopped and silence echoed across the line.

"Uhh Keir? Are you alright? Is something wrong aniki?" that deep voice was a bit worried and hesitant about what caused Keir to cry out...Jaime heard Anji's words and could not stifle his giggle at how red his Irish lover got at being caught with his so called "pants down". Suddenly there was a loud yelp on the other end as Anji figured out what was going on. " Ahhhh...I've got to go...have to talk to someone about...uhmm...something...bye aniki...uhhh..bye." then the line went silent as the man hung up quickly which made Jaime laugh. Keir narrowed his eyes at his impish lover as he pressed the end button on his phone...Jaime gave him an innocent look as if he wasn't being naughty seconds ago.

"You have been such a bad boy that I think you need to be punished." he growled deep at the innocent looking man between his legs.

"But Daddy...I'm so hungry. I'm practically starving." he batted his big blue eyes at Keir that made him look so young...so angelic that Keir had to bite back his lustful groan.

"So...you're starving, huh?" he leaned close to the younger man as those blond fluffy strands waved when he nodded. " Then, I guess I have no other choice then to feed you until you are full. Can not have my baby going hungry." he was pleased at the sound of those breaths speeding up in his desire of what Keiran was promising him.

"Yes Daddy. Please fill your baby boy up." a pink tinge began to spread across his body as it flushed in desire.

"It seems I have no other choice but to feed my baby since you asked so prettily of Daddy." he reached out to stroke a finger along those lips that had swollen from his administrations upon Keir's member moments before. He heard the whimper as it ghosted across the pad of his finger and his smile turned wicked. "But first...you need to be punished for your actions. I think twenty swats to that plump ass is reasonable for your disobedience ...don't you think so?" those blue eyes lowered from his hazels in submission, but Keiran knew it was to hide how much that idea turned him on. " Stand and present yourself for your punishment." he sat back to allow room for Jamie to lay across Keir's lap...presenting those sweet plump globes for the stinging swats his love was going to administer to them. It was no secret to either of them that Jamie loved to be spanked...he loved the way Keiran heated up the flesh to the point where the pain made it extra sensitive which had the ability to heighten Jamie's pleasure. To Keiran, this was foreplay to reduce his baby boy into a mess...begging for Daddy's hard cock to fill him just the way he loves it. "Now count each swat...out loud."

By the next morning, Jaime was sore and well fucked, but he was content at the same time as he watched his older lover waiting on him hand and foot...pampering his baby boy in every way...remembering how full his Daddy made him the day before.

************************************

************************************

*MIDDLE OF NIGHT*

A deep boom of thunder shook the ground and woke up several of those slumbering within their rooms...one of which was Anji who was sleeping fretfully upon his shikibuton ( Japanese style futon bed). hearing that sudden boom made him jerk awake from the bad dream he was having only moments ago. In his dream he was walking along the major streets of Kyoto with Mitch by his side, but this Mitch was nothing like the warm one he saw the last night he was in the states...this one had cold cruel sea blue eyes upon a smirking face. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he tried to keep up with this once beautifully warm man, dodging the crowded walkway filled with faceless pedestrians.

"Mitch...Mitch, what is wrong? Talk to me please." he huffed for breath as his legs burned in his attempts to keep pace with the Latin man. They both made it to a cross walk that had a red light before Mitch suddenly spun around to face Anji...a sneer of disgust was on his lips as he spoke.

"Anji, you are naive. Look at you, just standing there looking so pathetic as you whine ~ What's wrong? Talk to me.~" his voice went high as he mocked the stunned Asian man in his face. "Fine....you want to know what's wrong, well this is what's wrong, you little okama (gay man). I'm tired of you...tired of seeing your face as you follow me around , like a little lost puppy with your tail wagging. I'm bored kuso (insulting word)...with you. I was only interested in getting in your pants once...and I did. I got to fuck that ass of yours. Now I'm done with it...I don't want it anymore." he let out a cruel laugh at tears forming in Anji's dark eyes. " Well, it was a sweet one, especially knowing I was the first one to plow it ...but I have no use for it anymore, its been used and no longer fresh like, so....thanks for the experience of popping your cherry and goodbye." with those devastating parting words, the light turned green and Mitch walked away....his tall figure disappearing in the sea of people crossing the streets quickly before it was not safe once more . Anji stood there as tears poured down his face from the pain in his chest at those hurtful remarks...suddenly a cruel laughing voice carried upon the wind to his ears.

~Do you really believe anyone would honestly want to be with someone like you? So naive...so eager to let himself be mounted like a bitch in heat?" the laughing got louder before blowing away...only to be replaced by the sound of tires screeching as a car barreled towards him...then-BOOM!- where he bolted up in bed panting heavily...clutching at his heart as some tears dropped from his eyes. The flashes of light beyond his room heralded each thunder clap outside and for some reason that calmed his nerves enough..the knowing it was the storm outside fueling his nightmarish dreams. He reached up to wipe the sweat and tears dotting his face, when the sound of a high pitched shriek of fear close by pierced the night over the sound of the falling rain outside. It was almost chilling in it's sound and yet it touched something inside Anji where he bolted out of his rich amber brown bamboo patterned futon bed upon the floor to seek out the cause of that frightened sound. Reaching down he grabbed up his white short style sleeveless hooded robe from the floor and wrapped around his body as he slid the door to the outside open. The moment that door eased open a blast of wind whipped across his naked flesh, making it pebble from the chill caressing along it as his white robe whipped out behind him before he could belt it closed to shield his body. A shiver raced along his spine as he gazed out into the stormy night in hopes to see what caused that scream moments ago...hoping it wasn't one of the Ryoken guests and seeing nothing but inky darkness. Suddenly a bolt of lightening lit up the sky and a flash of movement caught his attention as another cry of fear rang out from where he saw the motion coming from. There was a sudden urge to help the owner of that voice and with no other thought in his mind, he flipped up the hood of his robe before he grabbed the large water ladle that was resting upon the stone water basin right outside his door which was used to gather a drink of fresh water from. Brandishing the wooden ladle in his hands he quickly stepped out into the rain with the sole intention of helping whomever was crying out in distress...his feet squelched into a water puddle as the torrential rain quickly soaked through his thin robe to reveal the tanned flesh beneath it...the chilly rain made his nipples upon his chest harden instantly. He carefully made his way through the dark rain in search of the poor soul caught in this storm...treading cautiously so not to lose his footing upon the rain slicked stony path...suddenly the sounds of whimpering could be heard coming from in front of him and he slowly approached.

"Hello? Where are you? I am Kai-Anji Sakata, one of the owners of this place ...I mean you no harm...I want to help, but I need you to show me where you are." his deep voice gently called out to whomever was making those pitiful sounds close by in the night. With slow cautious steps he shifted closer ans saw a grove of bamboo that was trembling a bit next to a small pond with small waterlilies floating upon the dancing surface. "Hey...don't be scared. I won't hurt you. C on out and let me help you." his voice was calm as he attempted to coax the trembling individual out from behind the bamboo stalks. Just as he reached out to part the thin trees to see the poor soul within, it suddenly burst open as a tiny flash of white leaped out from it..startling Anji as he yelped and stumbled back only to fall into the pond backwards with a loud splash...the wooden ladle flying out of his hand to land on the head of his tiny attacker who yelped loudly. The moment he fell into the water his hand shot out to try and stop his fall but he failed and got a sprained wrist for his attempt. He sat there in the water clutching his hand to his chest in pain when a soft pitiful whimper drew him back to the reason he was here in a pond...outside in the pouring rain...in the middle of the night. Looking over, Anji saw a small black and white puppy that looked pathetic as it shivered from the cold rain...whimpering pitifully as it's big eyes gazed at him sitting there in that pond. Anji began to laugh as he realized his attacker was none other than a lost puppy...the poor little creature seemed scared standing there and Anji did not have the heart to keep laughing as he slowly reached out a hand towards the poor puppy.

the poor little creature seemed scared standing there and Anji did not have the heart to keep laughing as he slowly reached out a hand towards the poor puppy

"Wan-chan...come here. It's alright...wan-chan." he used his gentlest voice as he tried to coax it closer to his outstretched fingers of his uninjured hand. Slowly it came closer...timidly step by step, whimpering in trepidation until finally he stood close enough that Anji could delicately gather the poor thing up into his hand to bring close to his chest in comfort. The poor puppy whined as it buried itself into his body heat while shivering from the chilly water soaked into its bedraggled fur. Slowly Anji extracted himself from the pond without dropping the pup or causing himself more pain than what he already was in and made his way back to his room to get out of this atrocious weather. As he walked back to his warm, dry room lightning cracked above in the sky, making the precious cargo in his arms bark in fright as it cringed into the safety of his hold...he crooned softly at the poor thing to soothe it the entire way as he walked until finally he made it.

With a sigh of relief he entered and shut the door as droplets of water fell to the polished wood floors covered by tatami mats behind him...making his way to a cabinet where he had a few towels in. He had to shift the puppy around to hold with his injured hand...gasping in pain as he did so, but he managed and retrieved two towels out to dry them both off. With guarded movements he was able to wrap the puppy up in one of those thick towels and set down onto the floor so he could remove his rain saturated garment to tend to his own sopping wet body. To his relief and amazement the puppy did not move from its dry enclosure which allowed Anji to briskly rub himself dry and put something warm and dry on himself before moving back to attend to his new found companion. He gently rubbed the sodden puppy down with its towel as he examined the poor creature for any tags or such in hopes to identify the puppy's owner...he found nothing but wet fur that could not mask the hungry state the puppy was in. The little creatures actions of sighing happily at the warmth of Anji's touch and how fast his tail wagged all gave testament to how starved the poor thing was for affection and for food. Soon as the puppy was dry, Anji lifted the pup up and looked into those sweet brown eyes...his heart gave a jolt of sympathy for this tiny thing. He knew this poor thing had been through a tough patch to be this neglected looking and he vowed to find the owner, whomever they may be, to either return the puppy or give them a piece of his mind at the treatment of this sweet baby...but it seems before he sought the person out he needed to feed this yipping baby.

"Well, little guy , what do you say to some nice warm milk before we go to bed?" he got a tiny bark and a rapid wagging tail as his answer which made Anji chuckle. "You like that, huh boy? Alright...uhhh...what am I going to call you? Can not call you puppy or dog all the time. You need a name...a nice proper name." as he spoke, he walked out of his room down the hallway towards the kitchen to find something for the little boy...the whole time he whispered softly so not to disturb anyone sleeping in their rooms that he passed, names that sounded good. "Hmm, how about Daiki?" the puppy didn't make a sound and he kept on. "Isamu? No...uhmm...Mamoru? Takehiko, since I found you in the bamboo grove. No? Ugghhh, come on little guy, help me out here." As he kept whispering out some names the puppy would either whine, growl or his tail would droop but nothing promising until finally with a sigh Anji blurted out a name of one of his favorite anime/manga characters from Clannad which is about a young delinquent man who ends up befriending five women that strive to revive the drama club at their school. His favorite character happens to be a young man who owns a bakery...he speaks rough but the heart of him is filled with kindness and sympathy for others. One of the things that makes this character his favorite is how hard Anji laughs every time the character is made to eat his wife's bread to soothe her hurt feelings because he doesn't like her bread. His name happens to be Akio Furukawa, so Anji just blurted it out and the reaction he got let him know he found the right one. "How about Akio, it means bright man." suddenly the puppy happily yipped as his tail began to wag again, making Anji chuckle. " Then, I guess that means I shall call you Akio from now on, for you are a bright boy...so smart and such a sweet boy."

In no time at all the bowl of milk was consumed and both of them could be found curled up in Anji's bed with little Akio snuggled up into Anji's stomach...full belly and very content as they both drifted off to sleep.

______________________________________

The morning dawned very dreary as dove grey clouds covered the sky...blocking out the sun's warming rays from reaching the land below. Tucked away safe and warm inside one of the Ryoko Onsens rooms laid Anji and Akio still fast asleep upon the single sized bed. A door softly creaked open to admit the interloper inside the sleeping man's room as their socked feet faintly padded closer to the slumbering form, then they gently knelt down next to him. Just as a hand reached towards Anji's shoulder, a growl from the blankets echoed through the room...startling the intruder and waking the snoozing man from his sleep to peer up at his silent visitor.

"Kachan (mother)? What...?" his voice was husky from sleep as he began to sit up...rubbing his eyes to rid them of sleep...his tired mind not registering the growling bundle until the woman exclaimed a bit loudly.

"Bikurri Shita Anji (a surprised exclamation)! What is that? A oni (demon) sleeping with you?" her hand quickly drew back in alarm as her blue eyes went wide...hearing the growl getting louder as her son's blankets began to move in earnest. It was Anji's soft laugh that drew the woman's wide eyes up to look at him for answers.

"Easy kachan. It is no oni, but Akio, my new friend I found last night." he moved the covers enough for her to see the small black and white puppy giving this woman a growl of displeasure for disturbing his beauty sleep..his whole demeanor was one of disgruntlement yet very protective of Anji. He could not stop the smile from reaching his face at the sight of his fierce companion as he reached down to pacify the pup with gentle strokes and words he was able to calm the baby boy down. " It is alright Akio...you are safe here. This is okasan...my mother. You will like her, she is a sweet woman who will feed you lots of treats...especially if you give her those same eyes you gave me last night." he gave a nod to the woman who blushed at his words as she tentatively reached out her hand again...this time the little pup allowed her to touch him...giving her fingers soft little licks which made her giggle. Anji watched as his step-mother petted the young puppy who enjoyed all the scratches she bestowed upon his tummy and behind the ears...his little back paw twitching in pleasure as his brown eyes closed....if he was a cat he would be purring at this time.

Anji remembered the day when this woman came into his families life over twenty years ago and became a intricate part of it. The Sakata family was not whole at that time ever since the death of Kahori...Kai-Anji, Kaihei, and Kiri's mother, who died giving birth to Kaihei. It was very hard on Kaishi to raise his three children alone...and very lonesome for the grieving man. He had to always be strong for his children while trying to keep food on the table every night. One day as he was praying at the temple to the kami (gods) for protection and fortune for his family, he saw a lovely young American woman kneeling close by. His eyes could not glance away from her beauty...the way the sunlight reflected off her long blond hair that was set in a single braid down her back...the way her blue eyes sparkled in laughter as she noticed him staring at her across the way...all of it mesmerized him. At first he thought about walking away and trying to forget about her...after all he did not think someone so young and beautiful would be interested in a man nearly twice her age with three young children under the age of ten. He was turning to walk away when a gust of wind swept through and stole the lovely scarf she was wearing from around her neck...whisking it away out of her clutching reach. Hearing her distraught cry at the loss of her favorite scarf, compelling him to give chase to the elusive material until finally he caught it so he could return it to its owner who was very grateful. For some reason, after handing her wayward scarf back, he did not walk away...he stayed to talk to her instead. Maybe it was something in her voice that enticed him to stay...maybe it was the way her eyes sparkled with such joy that lured his battered spirit close and soothed the ache inside his soul. Whatever it was, he felt drawn to her and over time he came to realize that his and Kora's meeting was arranged by his deceased wife Kahori in taking care of her family...within a few short months this woman won over the Sakata family with her kind and loving nature, bringing laughter and light back into the dismal home once more.

Anji was only eleven at the time, but even he could see how his father's eyes lit up when Kora entered the room and he was smiling once more. A part of him wanted to hate this woman for trying to replace his mother...she was welcomed so readily by Kiri who was to young to remember their mother and she also always yearned for a momma figure. Kaihei practically embraced her as his mother immediately, never knowing the woman who died to give him life, but Anji remembered Kahori...he remembered her loving touch, her sweet voice that would sing him to sleep each night and her gentle spirit. He wanted to never forget his beloved mother or betray her memory by accepting this American woman into the family...which he believed he would be doing if he did just that...he felt he could never dishonor the memory of such a unforgettable woman as Kahori.

It was his father who had set him down to explain how he felt about this woman that opened his heart enough to give her a chance. He spoke to the young boy about how his mother would always be in all their hearts...never forgotten...how she could never be replaced...ever. All Kaishi asked for from his eldest son was to give Kora a chance to show how much she loved the Sakata family. Anji agreed, but it was not until she proved his father's words true, by going to his mother's haka (grave) each week to visit and honor the woman with a bouquet of Kahori's favorite flowers, white roses that represented devotion to her. Every week Kora would remove any weeds or moss that may have grown near the haka before gently cleaning the stone with a wet sponge. After she had cleansed and purified the haka she would replace the dead flowers in their vases with fresh ones and then light the special rousoku candles and incense she had brought. Watching this woman for weeks making the effort in honoring his mother was what had finally broken his resolve to not like her and by the time she had given birth to his twin half brothers Kaijirou and Kaitarou, she had firmly made a place inside his heart. Overtime he came to know of her inner beauty, her strength, and her deep love for a family that was not hers at the start...now no one could ever imagine life without this woman in it. Within a few short years she turned a life of struggle into one filled with success as together the family purchased and opened up the Koyo Sakata Onsen, using the savings Kora accumulated in life through her savvy business sense ..and a degree in business management. The Sakata family began a adventure of running a hot springs hotel that with everyone's hard work flourished into the prosperous business it was today. Hearing her laughter drew him from his thoughts and he gazed upon the sweet sight of his mother cuddling the young puppy to her as he licked her cheek with his tail wagging furiously...it seemed even Akio was not immune to her charms.

"Anji...where did you find this little guy?" she spoke between laughter. He quickly told her what happened and before he was done there was sadness in her eyes....that was quickly replaced by her mother stare as she demanded to see his injury immediately. Anji knew better than to refuse her...one way or another this tenacious woman was going to examine his wrist, so he quickly held it out to her. She was as gentle as she could possibly be , but even he knew there was no way there wouldn't be pain judging by the bruises and swelling of it. With a clucking of her tongue, she gathered a bandage wrap to stabilize the injured wrist and told him he needed to go see a doctor to make sure it was not broken or anything. "You can stop by your father's physical therapists office , Dr. Hiraoka, to see if she can do something for it when you go to pick up your father's matcha tea from the kanpoi (herbalist). He is being proscribed this tea to help him deal with the effects of his treatments. So can you please go pick it up for me?" she asked Anji who was a bit stunned about this for it was very rare she ever asked for help in anything.

"Of course kachan. I'll do it first thing this morning as soon as I get dressed." the smile she gave him warmed his heart at knowing he was able to ease a bit of her worry from her shoulders. "You just worry about father and I will take care of the rest for you."

"Thank you Anji. While you are gone, I will take care of this little guy for you...before he licks me to death." she laughed...just as quietly as she came in she swept out of his room with Akio in her hands...cooing at the puppy as she went. He knew by evening time that the pup would have the entire Sakata family wrapped around his furry paws. He laughed at the image that thought conjured up as he got up to get dressed to run his errands in town. It was as he was pulling on his shirt that he remembered the conversation he had with Keiran last night about Mitch's job. A that time, Anji had forgotten why the name Zenshin Rihabiri sounded so familiar to him...but now he remembered...it was the name of the rehabilitation clinic his father went to weekly. He had never gone himself with his father but both of his parents spoke highly of the place. It also was the place that supposedly Mitch had transferred to and was currently employed at. Maybe there was a chance that Anji would see the man there...maybe , just maybe all hope was not lost and he would be granted another shot at love again.

________________________________

Short time later Anji had made his way to the kitchen to grab his breakfast where he saw his mother feeding Akio some eggs she had just cooked up some for the hungry pup who was devouring them with gusto. Off to the side, standing off to the side was his younger brothers Kaijirou and Kaitarou who were drinking their tea while watching the puppy eat, with amusement on their faces. As Anji entered he saw similiar faces turn to greet him...both young men had dark thick brown hair that framed slender faces with touches of facial hair upon them. It was their eyes and height that differed greatly between them...Kaijirou had his mothers blue eyes and stood at 6'1" while Kaitarou had more of their father's black eyes and stood at 5'8". Even though they differed in looks some what they both shared a bond that was unique, only between twins...a awareness of the other that was eerie sometimes...always knowing what the other was thinking, was feeling, was doing. Both young men were in their last year of high school and were considering which university they wanted to go to since Kaijirou wanted to study culinary arts and Kaitarou wanted to study graphic arts but neither man wanted to go to separate schools from the other. The moment Anji entered the room Kaijirou pushed away from the counter and walked closer to his eldest brother with another tea in his hand for him.

"Asa (morning) Jirou...Tarou. Ah, thanks aniki (brother) for the tea." he gave him a smile and both of them turned around to watch the puppy eating.

"Dou itashimashite (welcome). How did you find this fellow? I thought I found them all." he saw the confused look on Anji's face and rushed to clarify his statement. "Well, a few days ago Tarou and I were on our way home from school when we saw a car slow down near an alley and push a box out of it before speeding off. We went to look and found this box tipped over with a few puppies in it...I guess one of them slipped out before we got there and hid from us. Well, we gathered them up and took them to a veterinarian where he told us about this kind of dog. They were pit bull puppies and it seems they are only 5 weeks old...and since pit bull dogs are rare in the area and all pits who come into Japan are quarantined and registered first he believes he can track down the people who abandoned these pups." in some ways Jirou's words relieved Anji because it meant that he did not have to give up his companion but on another level finding out what happened really angered him at the negligence that had been administered to such a sweet baby....his anger must have shown on his face because Tarou huffed in agreement.

"Yeah...that's how we felt also aniki. I'm glad this little guy found us...hate to think of him still being out there all alone." the younger man bent down to scratch behind Akio's ears since he was done eating. "He's to cute to be out there in that bad world....huh boy?" a happy bark was his answer which made the room laugh. Suddenly Tarou stood up and began to grab his book bag from a chair...motioning to Jirou to do the same. "We have got to go or we will be late for class. So...ittekimasu kachan ( i'm leaving mother)...love you and see you after school. Tell otousan (father)we love him. Ja ne ( goodbye)Anji!" with a quick kiss to Kora's cheek and a wave to Anji they rushed out the door, leaving the two alone to think about what they would do with Akio. It was Kora who broke the silence first.

"Well,musuko (son)...what are you planning on doing with this little man?"she gently blew on her cup of tea to cool it off before taking a small sip....he could see in her eyes what she was hoping for, but she left it up to him...take the puppy to the vets or keep him for his own. He knew it was a very important choice to make for his and Akio's life...one hand he already had a bond forming with the little pup but on the other Anji's future was still unsettled for he could be leaving in a few months to go back to the states and a good job that was waiting for him there. As he stood there thinking Akio came over and placed his paws up on his leg..peering up at him with a tail wagging and a excited little bark...his decision was made in that moment.

"How about it boy? Want to be a Sakata?" he leaned down to pick up the happy puppy and brought him close to his chest where the pup proceeded to lick his cheek , making him chuckle. "I take that as a yes. Then yo koso (welcome to the family), Akio-chan. Looks like I will have to get you a collar while out running my errands today." he cuddled the happy puppy into his chest as he saw out of the corner of his eye his mother's smile.


	5. When we meet again

The synthetic lights overhead tried to dispel the gloom of the stormy skies outside the windows of the Zenshin Rihabiri Clinic, where Mitch worked each day since he came to Japan almost a week ago. Each day was a challenge for him because of the language barrier between him and most of the people who worked there and their clients...even though he worked hard to learn the Japanese language. On the plane ride here to Japan, on the subway he took each day, every morning and every night he was studying hard on how to speak with the help of the Rosetta Stone program he bought shortly after he accepted this over seas position. This program was an absolute gift from God...without it he would have been undoubtedly lost and unable to do the job he was sent to do. Another gift from God to him was his mentor, Dr. Yuriko Hiraoka, who was very patient and understanding with him...even to the point of laughing at him when he made such a mistake that anyone else would have been sent packing to go back home for. It happened on his very first day, when he arrived here at the clinbic...he had just walked in to the break room to see a older looking woman standing off to the side getting a cup of hot tea. He did not pay much attention to her name tag, thinking she was another therapist there, as he walked over to her to at least say hello since they would obviously be colleagues. She was an older woman with dark hair that fell to her shoulders and dark brown eyes that seemed friendly as he approached her...deciding to give his language lessons a try.

"Uhmmm Ko...Konichiwa (hello). Watashi wa Mitch to mochimasu (My name is Mitch)." he tripped over the words a little bit as he tried to make his mouth form the foreign words. He must have done somewhat alright because she softly laughed at his attempts but not in a mocking way..very friendly manner as she inclined her head at him.

"Ohayo gazaimasu Mitch-kun(polite good morning). Hajimemashite (Nice to meet you)." she was stirring her tea when Mitch made his faux pas...open mouth and inserted his foot- as the saying goes.

"So...I am very new here, obviously, and I don't know anything about my new Senpai (mentor) a Mr. Hiraoka. What's he like, do you know?" he saw the look of slight confusion coming onto the woman's face before understanding registered in her eyes and she chuckled lightly at him.

"ah...sensei Yuriko, is I'm told...a good person to work with." suddenly she turned around to face him fully as she held out a hand towards him. " I forgot to introduce myself. I am Yuriko...Hiraoka and you must be my new Kohai (protege), Ortiz, that I have been expecting." she saw his eyes go round in horror at his mistake. The whole time since he found out about this position he had assumed that his mentor was male because of the name...Hiraoka Yuriko. He had not realized that the Japanese do their names differently than they do in the states...it seems they switch the placement of their last name from the end to the front unlike Americans. So Hiraoka was not her first name but in actuality was her last name and her first name was Yuriko which did sound more feminine to him. In that moment he was mortified and expected for his new boss to send him packing back to the United States with his tail firmly tucked between his legs in shame. Suddenly she began to laugh at him and he turned red in the face as he began to stammer out an apology.

"Mo...moshiwake arimasen (I'm sorry)." he began to bow ,like he learned, at a 45 degree angle...making sure it was deep and long to show the extent of his contrition. "I assumed when I saw the paperwork that Hiraoka was your first name. I am so sorry. Please forgive..." he would have kept on with his apologies but she stopped him quickly when she set a hand on his shoulder in mercy for his misunderstanding. 

"Ortiz-kun...it is alright. This is not the first time my name has been confused by Westerners coming here. It takes some time to get used to how naming goes here in Japan." her smile was filled with compassion before turning stern. "Now, that you know, don't make the same mistake again. Remember the saying you Gaijin (foreigner) have...~ When you assume, you make a ass out of you and me~ So no more assuming here. i do not take kindly to made into a ass...I am no animal and will be insulted to be confused for one. Got it, Kohai?" he nodded quickly at seeing the hardness in her eyes before they softened once more with humor again. "Good, now let's get going so I can show you around...I want you to familiarize yourself with how we do things here. If at anytime you have any questions then you can come to me. I may demand perfection in everything that is done but I like to believe that i am easy to come to with questions. How can you learn to perfect yourself if you never ask?" she handed him a cup of tea as she led him around...showing him where everything was stored at and went. As they walked he was soaking up everything she said and done...occasionally he would ask a question that showed he was taking in all she said. She was impressed with how he carried himself, especially after his blunder, but she should not have doubted this man because her college friend Dr. Clarke would not have recommended him to her if he wasn't even remotely up to her level of standards. It seems this man would fit in nicely here at Zenshin...now let's hope he can get a better grasp on the language soon or there will be some confusion...he already messed up one word that had her snorting into her tea once already.

~This is a Kireina kuso (beautiful garbage)~ she had to try and not choke at what he said...when she asked him to repeat what he said she realized he got his words twisted...what he meant to say was ~This is a kireina chiryousho (beautiful clinic)~ shaking her head she asked him to study more before speaking again...come to her with questions and she would help him since oddly enough she liked this man, shortly after that little tour their day began as they did their daily company exercises that was mandatory for everyone. Now here he stood in the storage room making sure everything was well stocked since there was no patients at this time because of the weather currently...when Yuriko popped her head around the corner into the room.

"Mitch-kun, can you come out here for a moment to take care of this gentleman for me? I need to make a few phone calls and he is asking for you by name." he gave her a nod and she smiled at him before leaving to go to this new patient who had come to see him specifically, which was a bit odd to him. He rounded the corner, hearing her talking to someone there, when suddenly he came to a halt.. a gasp of surprise left his lips in that second at who was there. There stood the very man he had yearned to talk to for the past month, looking even more gorgeous than he remembered, with his dark hair that framed dark brown eyes that made him want to gaze into for a long time. It was the smile upon that exotic face, directed at him, that broke him from his shock and got his feet moving once more towards where his mentor and Anji stood.

"Hello Mitch." his voice was just as deep...just as rich as he remembered , that he felt like he could easily lose himself in the sound of it. He came to a stop next to Yuriko who looked a bit perplexed at how Anji spoke her kohai's name in such an intimate tone and with such familiarity...Mitch's eyes were focused upon the man before him as he spoke.

"Kai-Anji...I...what are...you are here." all he could do was stammer at this man that had seemed to step right out of his very dreams and deep desires to stand before him in this moment in time. Those very lips that he had tasted in the airport before saying goodbye twisted up into a smile that warmed Mitch's heart like nothing had before...filling that space that was empty, when Anji had left, once more. The sight of that beautiful smile wrapped around him and broke down the control he was holding onto in appearing to be professional here in front of his Senpai. Without even thinking of what he was doing, Mitch reached out and embraced Anji tightly to him in a hug, who after a second of being surprised, returned it as he laughed.

"I missed you too Mitch...very much." his deep voice caressed the young man's ears, making a warm feeling spread through his body and faintly tinged his cheeks. There was a clearing of a throat next to them that made them both ease away enough to see Yuriko giving them both a look with her eyebrow raised...waiting for an explanation as both men blushed a bit.

"Ahh...sensai, this is my ...uhhmmm..." his voice hesitated as he realized he wasn't sure what their relationship was at this time. Were they just friends or were they maybe something more...Anji answered Mitch when he heard the younger man pause.

"Friend...we're very close friends Hiraoka-san. His nephew is married to my best friend O'Shea-san and...." as Anji was speaking his hand moved and a sharp pain shot up his arm, reminding him of the reason why he had come here in the first place as he let out a sharp gasp at the painful throbbing there. Suddenly he found his hand being gently braced in Mitch's hands as it was examined...concern clear in those blue eyes.

"What happened?" Mitch's tone was soft as he checked over each joint from the mid forearm down to those long slender fingers. As he inspected Anji's hand, the man related all what had happened last night to cause this injury...neither man took notice as Yuriko slipped away with a smile on her face. Mitch's eyes relaxed in relief that the injury was negligible and not broken like he feared at first...he smiled as he looked up into those dark brown eyes. "Have a seat while I wrap this up with some of our special medicine made from local herbs that can help ease the pain a little bit. Don't worry , it's not broken just a sprain that will heal quickly." the smile he received from the older man made his heart speed up a little and his breathing to hitch with a jolt of desire. Within moments he had the tools he needed and was kneeling before the relieved man as he applied the medicinal wrap to reduce the swelling there...his eyes never wavering from his task as he began to speak again. "So...Anji...I'm glad I got to see you again. I....I waited for you to call..." he felt Anji tense a little with an apology upon his lips...Mitch held up a free hand to forestall the words and he gave a soft smile to Anji." ...I know you were very busy. I heard. Please don't think I am angry...I understand. I just wanted to let you know that I am happy to see you once more so I can give you my new number that I just got this morning...so, if you wanted you can call me now. We moved here a week ago, as you can tell and in the move we canceled our land lines but during the move my mobile phone bit the dust when I accidentally dropped it, so I could not let you know about everything that happened." Mitch knew he sounded flustered and he blushed faintly as he kept his eyes focused down at what he was doing. It was the sigh of relief that drew his eyes upwards to see the soft smile upon that golden face before his deep voice echoed past those tempting lips.

"I heard about the phone issues and about your transfer here. I am sorry I did not take the minute to even send you a text message...my only excuse is I kept thinking about the time difference between us and how I was afraid to disturb your sleep." there was a bit of remorse in his deep voice and Mitch chuckled at the sound.

"We both are idiots. Listen to us, we both were so concerned about being a bother to the other that we were allowing distance to come between us." at first Anji was taken aback by Mitch's laughter and words, but within seconds he joined in chuckling at how right Mitch was. "how about we start again...this time, no matter the time, day or night, we send a text or call the other to keep in touch." tenderly Mitch reached for Anji's uninjured hand to hold in his own as his voice dropped into a caress upon Anji's ears. "For I don't want to worry that I lost you again." the smile that came his way was sweet and he felt this overwhelming urge to taste those lips once more...to see if he tasted as good as he remembered. Slowly he began to lean forward...his blue eyes moving back and forth between those bewitching lips and those sensually dark browns...hoping to not see rejection within them. He was only inches away when the sound of a door opening reminded them how public they were and neither were comfortable with many eyes watching their private moment. Quickly Mitch pulled away and finished up with the bandage as his face blushed...both of them smiled in understanding at one another...within moments Mitch sent Anji on his way with his new number and a fervent promise to call him later.

~Call anytime, day or night...for anything at all.~

<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>

*4 days later*

Once again a storm was raging outside across the city of Kyoto....encouraging the denizens of this lovely city to stay inside where it was dry and warm. Only those who needed to be out in this atrocious weather dared to venture out to brave the chilling rain that fell down in thick sheets from above. One of those that defied this rain was Mitch, who had decided to accept some of his colleagues invitation to join them for a drink or two to bond over. When the clock struck closing time a few of the more plucky women and a few men had asked him if he wanted to go for some drinks...to get to know each other after all he had been there for almost two weeks now and they knew nothing really about him. He was hesitant at first because he didn't feel comfortable leaving Ana alone in the apartment by herself when she was so close to the end of her pregnancy...only a month to go till her expecting date. When he called her, she gave him quit an earful about how he was being such an over protective idiot...it was not like she was going into labor the next few hours, so he needed to go out and have fun with his co-workers...he needed some bonding time with them and she needed some alone time before the baby came. He conceded to her wisdom about it all and accepted the invitation...there was an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach, but he brushed it off as he followed the group out into the light drizzle and quickly made their way to the Gion district where the narrow street was lined on both sides with restaurants and bars.

The group had dragged Mitch to one of the famous bars in downtown Kyoto called Bar Isn't It? that was a great gathering space for all sorts of groups of people who were seeking a casual bar atmosphere with dancing and decent priced drinks. The music was good and the ambience was very inviting as they laughed, danced and had a great time while drinking their beers together. At one point they even convinced Mitch to try sake.... telling him everyone who came to Japan had to try this drink just once sometime in their life, so he did. Throwing it back where it smoothly flowed down his throat warming along the path it took till it settled in his stomach creating a pool of warmth inside. He felt the warmth then flow up his body and a rose tinge came to his cheeks which made the group laugh merrily at him , which only made his cheeks bloom even more from slight chagrin that maybe he could not hold his liquor as well as he thought he could. It was a few hours later, while he was on his way back from the restroom , heading towards the table, that his new phone chimed with a phone call that showed a unknown number on it. He almost did not answer it but something inside compelled him to...what he heard on the line sobered him instantly and sent him flying out of the door into the torrential rain that had gotten worse while he was inside enjoying himself. He stood there at the street searching for a cab to take him to the hospital when one of his co-workers, Namika Tsurimi, who came rushing up to him...realizing she must have seen him running out of the door in a panic and came to find out what was wrong.

"Ortiz-san!" her voice was filled with concern for him as she reached a hand out to place on his arm to calm him..the look he gave her was filled with such fear that she had to step back briefly and her voice trembled a bit. "Ortiz-san, what's wrong?" he had to fight the terror that was clawing at his chest as he practically shouted at her...his voice was laced with panic.

"I need to go to the hospital now Tsurimi! My sister....she's...she's been in an accident!" his loud voice carried over the rain as he turned back around to search for a cab to take him..not hearing her gasp over the rain that was soaking through his clothes into his skin, but he became aware of her again when she began to pull him back inside out of this weather which caused him to try and argue with her until she spoke sharply at him.

"Stop fighting! Let's call a cab to get us there. You will do your Aniki (sister) no good if you stress yourself out to much...I am coming with you for support,so let's call a cab." he nodded at her logic and allowed her to lead him back inside where he immediately dialed one of the companies while she went to gather their things and let the others know what was going on. It wasn't before long until he was speeding away towards the hospital with Namika by his side for support as his terrified thoughts flew towards his sister...his phone in his hand as he called the one person he desperately needed in this moment, praying they answered it. The phone rang only a few times before a very groggy Anji picked up...his voice was rough and deep from just waking up.

"Mi..Mitch? What's..." he never got the rest of his words out before the sound of Mitch's voice shaking over the line stilled any other words.

"Anji...I...It's Ana. She's been in an accident and was taken to the Kyoto University Hospital. I'm on my way there now...I..." he felt tears of panic burning his eyes as his mind envisioned all the horrible scenarios of what could have happened and the not knowing of what to expect when he arrived...he bit back the tears as he pressed on. "I don't know what happened. I don't know how bad it is...all I know is an officer called me to tell me that she was hurt and was on her way to the hospital." the fear that was trying to consume him could be heard in his tone by Anji who spoke the only thing that could loosen that hold upon him and allow him to focus on the here and now and not the uncertainty of the future.

"Mitch...I am on my way. I will meet you there." hearing the words spoken with such calmness into his ear reassured Mitch's nerves and helped him to not break down within the cab as it moved swiftly as it could through this Spring downpour. "Just breath suitoharto (sweetheart)..breath. We don't know what has happened, so don't stress yourself out till we find out what is going on, alright." hearing that deep voice coaching him into a calmed state was very soothing on his jangled nerves and Mitch was able to steady himself once more....hearing Anji fumbling on some clothes in his hurry to get to Mitch's side.

"Alright amor (love). I am breathing...just, please hurry Anji...I'm scared of what I will find and I don't think I can face this alone." he kept the hysteria that was trying to claw it's way up again inside of himself down enough but it still radiated in his voice that told how close he was to loosing it.

"I am coming Mitch. I will be there in less than twenty minutes, so if you need to, wait for me outside. I am on my way right now." his movements came over the phone clearly letting Mitch know that he was moving swiftly through his residence...there was a knock on a door and a muffled reply...then the sound of Anji talking to another person, a woman, in Japanese.

"Kiri, watashi wa byoin ni kenekereba naranai (I need to go to hospital). Mitchsan no oneesan ga kagashitanda (Mitch's sister has been hurt). Watashi wa kare no soba ni hitsuyosareteiru ( he needs me there with him)." there was a clear gasp of dismay from the woman before her voice answered back quickly.

"Hai (yes). Kare to isshoni ikinasai (go be with him). Nani ka attara suga shirasete (keep me updated.)." her voice sounded soft and understanding to Mitch's ears.

"Arigato gazaimasu, Kiri. (thank you)." Mitch could hear Anji kiss the woman, then the sound of him running out the door and revving up his car as he sped down the lane to meet Mitch at the hospital. It was hearing a screeching of tires that made Mitch switch his worry from his sister to Anji as the sudden fear of the older man crashing because he was in such a hurry to reach Mitch...he tried to speak calmly so not to startle the hard pressed man.

"Anji...please be careful. I don't want you to get in a wreck. I promise I will wait for you at the desk. I will wait, so please, please don't get hurt yourself." a soft laugh was his answer but Mitch could hear the engine slowing down enough to let him know his words has some effect and was taken to heart. "I'm hanging up...see you in few." then the line went silent. They rode in silence for a few moments before Namika decided to distract Mitch a tiny bit and satiate her curiosity about him by asking him a question.

"So...Mitch...was that your boyfriend or family? Because that sounded like what a man would say to his lover and not just a good friend." she saw him flick his eyes over as a blush stole across his cheeks...she smirked at him. "Well, I guess that answers that question. Just so you know, Mitch-san...most men wouldn't do this for just anyone, unless they really have intense feelings for you." his blue eyes cut her way as if asking if she was telling the truth...she nodded her head and he smiled shyly at her. "Look, Mitch, I know he is on his way and will be here soon to be with you....so now that I know you won't be alone, as soon as he gets here I will go home to leave you in his hands. Here is my number...call me and let me know what happened, please." she quickly put her number into his phone and handed it back to him with a look of worry in her eyes. "Please let me know anything you find out...if there is anything I can do to help you, just let me know...ok?" he nodded at her...suddenly the vehicle was pulling up to the large white medical building and Mitch's heart began to pound once more in trepidation of what he was about to find out when he passed through those doors.

<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>

*ANJI POV*

When Mitch had called Anji and woke him up, he thought it was him letting Anji know that Ana had gone into early labor or something more cheerful...not something so tragic. The moment he heard the distress in that normally smooth and silky voice, it made his heart ache to be there in that second to ease the younger man's turmoil. There was only one thing Anji could do and that was be by Mitch's side to give him support and comfort until they found out what had occurred, so he hastily donned a pair of denim pants, a white cotton t'shirt and a black leather jacket to try and protect himself a tiny bit from the rain. Rushing out of his room with Mitch still on the phone , he knocked briskly on his sister's door and gave her a quick rendition of what was happening...all it took was a few words from Kiri to validate how she was such a fantastic sister and he was very blessed to have her, with a loving kiss to her head he was running off out into the weather to get to Mitch. It took Anji less time than what he quoted to Mitch for him to get to the hospital, since he took the chance to speed even though it was pouring so heavily...he knew these roads like the back of his own hands for he has lived in Kyoto most of his life. There up ahead he could see a small yellow cab pulling up to the front of the emergency room doors with two people inside...a woman and Mitch. He grabbed his phone and quickly dialed the number of the worried man in the car in front of him...he answered on the first ring with a trembling breath.

"Mitch...I'm here in the car behind you." he heard the deep sigh of relief over the line.

"Thank you Anji. I need to pay the driver and I will meet you right back here, so go a head and park." he heard Mitch rustling around...looking for his wallet and Anji interrupted the search for the wayward leather.

"I'll pay him...how much is it hato (heart)?" he heard the surprised gasp and the refusal forming on those lips. "Please, Mitch...let me do this, so we can hurry inside to Ana, instead of arguing. How much?" there was a sigh of defeat before he answered him. ~3,000 yen~ both men peered out of their windows at each other before Anji nodded and motioned for him to come to the window to get it...Mitch rushed over to the window and retrieved the money from the older man.

"Domo Arigato (thank you very much) Anji." with a grateful smile Mitch took the money and rushed back over to pay the man while Anji went to park the car. Within a few moments, Anji was unsuccessfully dodging the rain drops as he jogged over to where Mitch was pacing...his turquoise eyes darkened in worry kept glancing back and forth between the entrance doors of the hospital and the wet parking lot where Anji was coming from. Finally, with huffing breaths, he came to stand by the dark haired younger man under the dry awning...shaking the droplets from his black leather jacket that protected his white shirt from being soaked through, but not his denim pants that were clinging to his skin from getting overly damp. Suddenly he felt his hand being enclosed inside a warm larger one and he understood Mitch needed the physical contact to face whatever laid through those doors...with a nod they strode in hand in hand together.

*A/N:Katy Perry-Roar (MACO VERSION) I heard this song and thought it was beautifully done by her...it symbolizes finding the strength to persevere against adversity that comes your way...no matter how old you are.*

 

As Mitch and Anji strode into the sterile building they saw a woman sitting behind a desk with interest as they came closer to where she sat waiting.

"Konichiwa kangoshi-san (hello nurse). We are here to see Miss Ortiz. She came in a while ago to the emergency room. This is her brother, Mitch Ortiz." Anji spoke rapidly to the woman in Japanese, so fast that Mitch could barely understood what he said. The woman gave them a worried look as she nodded her head and held up a finger to give her a moment so she could make a phone call to someone in the back. The young woman spoke briefly to whomever was on the other end of the phone before hanging up and turning back to both men to speak.

"Asoko ni shoushou o machi kudasai. Sugu sensai ga chuushin shini irasharunode, onegaishimasu. (Please wait over there. Someone will be right out to talk to you.)" she directed them both over to some chairs located against a wall...Anji smiled at her and gave a small bow as he said ~Arigato (thank you)~ to her. The look in Mitch's eyes was nervousness because he understood practically nothing they said, but thank goodness Anji was there for he translated for him which eased his tension a bit as they both walked over to the chairs to wait. They did not have to wait for long, because within seconds of sitting down a very young policeman came from behind some doors and headed their way...his eyes looked like they had seen horrible things this night, a feeling of foreboding entered both of them as they stood to greet him.

"I am patrolman Yukata. I am the one who found your sister. These rains lately, have weakened some places slightly North of your building and caused a landslide of mud that tore down the apartment complex she was in. She was found trapped under some mud and debris...barely conscious. I got her name and your number to call you to let you know before the ambulance brought us here. The doctors rushed her into surgery for emergency delivery...it seems the disaster brought on early labor. I do not know anything else for the doctors are still with her and the baby." during the entire time Yukata was talking , Anji was translating what the young man was saying. At one point Mitch's hand began to shake as the blood drained from his face, hearing about his beloved sister...thankfully Anji was there to steady him as he helped the younger man to a chair.

"How bad was it?" Anji knew the question needed to be asked so they were prepared for what was to come from this night and Mitch was sort of out of it as he tried to process everything so far ..he sat there not batting an eye as both men spoke in Japanese around him.

"It looked bad, Mr....?" ~Sakata and Ortiz~ "... Sakata-san, she had a broken leg...cracked ribs...and a knock to her head that looked pretty bad. When I found her, she was caught under some debris in the mud and her body temperature was low...it looked like she was in shock. I was able to get her to tell me her name then she reached out a hand and grabbed mine to pull me near. It felt so cold and she was shivering...she told me to call her brother and as I pulled her out, I...I...I saw she was with child." the young patrolman looked down briefly...there was a tear in his eyes at the memory. Seeing the look of despair upon that young face made Anji reach over to touch that arm in sympathy. "All..all, I could think about was my own wife who is pregnant herself." his voice dropped to a whisper and both men felt a touch of empathy for the young man. Just as Anji turned to relay Ana'a injuries to Mitch, a doctor came out from the Emergency room area...he looked around in concern until he saw the patrolman Yakuta and came over....all three men stood up and waited to hear the news about her condition.

"I'm Doctor Izumi Shinobu...are any of you related to Ortiz Ana?" Mitch stepped forward and the doctor turned to him to look into his worried blue eyes.

"How is Ana?" all it took was a look filled with sorrow for them all to know the news was dire and Mitch felt the ground cracking under him as he realized his sister was lost to him.

"She did not make it Ortiz-san. The trauma she went through brought on early labor where we had to do an emergency c-section, but her body was to weak and she went into shock and died. We were able to save the baby which was a healthy girl who weighed 3.23 kg and was 457 mm (7.3 lbs & 18") long. I'm sorry for your loss ...Ortiz-san...Ortiz-san?" suddenly Mitch could not listen anymore to what the doctor said and he dropped to his knees...a tormented cry burst from his lips as he covered his face, sobbing in despair. Suddenly a pair of arms enfolded him tightly and a deep soothing murmur echoed in his ears as his body rocked back and forth. Not once did Anji try to get Mitch to stop crying, he just held him as he let him know he was not alone in his grief until, finally, those body wracking sobs eased up enough and numbness set in along with exhaustion. He could hear Anji and officer Yakuta talking briefly before he left the two men alone...those slender arms never left him as they held him close to that slender muscular body.

"What...what did he say?" his throat was sore and his voice was raspy sounding to his ears from all his crying he had done this night.

"He had to go home...to his wife and he says sorry. If we need anything to call him and he left his card for us to do so." slowly a hand reached up to wipe the tears off of Mitch's face ...each swipe easing the clenching pain inside, feeling like a caress to his beleaguered soul. "Sensai Izumi said , before he left, that your niece is in NCIU (neonatal intensive care unit) and if we want, we can go up to see her. She will be in Ward 2F and we can look at her through the window there." gently Anji leaned his head over and placed a comforting kiss on that dark head as Mitch nodded in compliance with the older man's statement. Both men knowing that they needed to see that little girl...that little piece of the sweet woman who had such a zest for life that it infected those around her wherever she went. With stilted movements, Mitch was able to stand...mostly with Anji's help...and they walked to the elevators that would take them to the nursery. Walking down the silent hallways neither of them took notice of the few somber stares or the soft whispers from some of the nurses as they passed...both had eyes fixed to the windowed glass ahead where the infants slept peacefully. One nurse did try to stop them, but when she heard Mitch's name she quickly gave them a visitors tag and showed them to where they could see the little girl. 

"Here you go Ortiz-san. You can see her here." she opened the door for them to enter and right before she closed it Anji heard the woman softly whisper. " I'm sorry for the loss of your wife." then the door closed. In that moment, Anji realized everyone believed that Ana was Mitch's wife and her daughter was his own child...not sure what to make of that yet, he figured later he would tell Mitch about their assumption. Within moments another door opened and an elderly nurse walked in holding a tiny pink bundle in her arms...Mitch's eyes were riveted to the precious bundle in her arms. Gently she placed the baby into Mitch's arms who trembled in worry that he may accidentally drop her for she was so tiny to him.

"Here you go papa-san (daddy)." those blue eyes glanced over to Anji in slight confusion for he understood the word for daddy, but he let it pass for the moment for that precious little girl began to squirm a tiny bit and he had to concentrate on making sure she was stable in his arms. He heard Anji translating the woman's words for him and then her leaving to give them privacy to visit with the newborn, but his eyes were focused on those little unfocusing brown eyes gazing up at him. He reached down to stroke a finger along her cheek and the tiny coo she emitted as her hand curled around his finger stole his heart. Leaning down he kissed her delicate hand and huskily whispered at her.

"Oh, angel dolce (sweet angel). Tio (uncle) is here for you and I promise I will never leave you mi tesero (my treasure)...mi corazon (my heart), I will be here for you...siempre (always)." he tenderly rubbed her small hand across his cheek as he whispered his promise to her.

Watching the scene before him of these two despairing souls was heartbreaking to Anji and he felt a deep resolve to do whatever he could to protect them, growing inside of him. All his fears of opening up his heart to another on the off chance of experiencing pain and loss again vanished in that moment. He realized that bad things happened to even the best of people like the Ortiz family and they had the courage to keep living...to keep loving...Anji felt a thread of shame at himself. After Laurel's attack, he closed himself off from everyone but Keir and a few people..never allowing anyone to get close enough to harm him once more. It seems Keir was right, Anji had allowed Laurel to rule his life all these years...it was time to put his foot down and stop her...starting with this man who had slipped past all his defenses in that moment they laid eyes on each other at Keir and Jamie's wedding.


	6. Distressing Nights

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Songs are : Fujita Maiko- Nee & Prince of Egypt River Lullaby Japanese (subbed)
> 
> Mitch's sleepwear is this: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Men-s-pajamas-gauze-kimono-sleepwear-japanese-style-clothing-cotton-Men-lounge-pajama-set/32793039736.html?spm=2114.40010708.4.116.bdyync I thought it was perfect for a guest sleepwear.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Middle of Night~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The storm outside was showing it's power as it raged beyond the walls of Kyoto University Hospital on this dark night...inside the sounds of wails could be heard as people cried in pain or in sorrow. Earlier this evening the storm claimed lives as it aimed it's might at the city below where it caused a landslide to destroy parts of Kyoto to the North. Within the hospital walls was a young woman walking around the Pediatrics of the North Ward...her hair was dark brown and pinned up on top of her head...her eyes were a lovely green that made most people gasp at how intense they were. She was slowly making her way down the hallways, eyes and ears taking in the sounds of her sleeping charges within their rooms. As she made her way along , one of the nurses came running up to her...the young woman's hair was cropped short and was tassled from her rushed flight as she called to the other woman.

"Hara-san...Hara-san! Sensai needs you in room 203, she sent me to find you quick." the young woman was a bit out of breath as she came up to her colleague. Hara gave her a nod and turned to make her way in the direction indicated when suddenly the elevator doors rang out as they opened. There was something about it that made her glance back and she saw two men exiting the elevators as they made their way towards NICU where the babies slept. One of the men made Hara pause for he looked like an old college flame of hers that was lost to her nearly eleven years ago.She made to chase after him to see if it was him, but the other nurse began to tug on her hand to get her to move quicker with her.

"Hara-san! We need to go ..now!" she looked at the young woman briefly...torn between allowing the woman to drag her along or to give chase and see if it was him. Her sense of duty kicked in and she decided to follow along with her fellow nurse...knowing in the back of her mind it was just her own wishful thinking, for there was no way Kai-Anji could be here in Japan...believing he was still in the United States, waiting and searching for her all these past years she has been gone.

It has been eleven years since she saw him back in college where they both attended at the same time, with her under a different name then...Laurel Tavers. She was considered a prodigy at seventeen and was allowed with the permission of her parents to enter college ...and that is where she met him, Kai-Anji, her soul mate. Those months that she was there was filled with joy and happiness as they basked in the love of their relationship, even though they had to keep it a secret from everyone around because she knew his family would never approve...especially that man he called his best friend, Keiran O'Shea. He made everyone think that him and Kai-Anji were friends, but Laurel knew the truth about him...Mr. O'Shea was a controlling man who kept her beloved under his control, she did not know how he was doing it but she knew he was because her beloved Kai-Anji would have never allowed another woman to get close to him. The reason she knew this was one day she overheard Kai-Anji telling a woman named Carol that Keiran was such a dominating man with Daddy issues...she knew then that Keiran O'Shea was hell spawn and she needed to get her love away from this devil's influence. It came to a head one night on Valentines day when she caught one of Keiran's bitches trying to seduce her love by dragging Kai-Anji up to his room, by using her feminine wiles on him at a weak moment. Seeing that woman with her hand on Laurel's sweet, clueless love enraged Laurel past the point of her control...she had to do something now and save her beloved before he was violated by this succubus. 

"Kai! Who is this slut you have brought in here?" she spat in the woman's direction in hopes that she would get the warning and leave her Kai-Anji alone. It was no use for it became clear that this woman had her hooks in her poor trapped lover for he was acting as if she was an acquaintance of his and not the woman he loves with all his heart. She even tried to break the spell the woman had him under by stabbing her in the stomach...but the hold she had on Kai-Anji was entirely to strong for Laurel to break. She knew she had to take more drastic means, she hit him over and over as she screamed at him...praying it would finally break that spell he was trapped in.

"YOU'RE MINE! MINE!MINE!" as her hand fell down onto him...red was clouding her vision...there was a loud crash as the door to his dorm room burst open and in strode that devil of a man keeping them apart. On that night of lovers, she was struck unconscious and snatched away from her beloveds side to be placed in a prison where lies were told to her parents about her. Her family was told that she had tried to murder two students on campus and she was having a psychotic breakdown with obsessive tendencies towards Asian men. It seemed no matter how much she told them that her and Kai-Anji were in love, they listened to the lies of the doctors who convinced her parents to try some new age, experimental treatment. Since Laurel was still only seventeen...her parents gave permission for this experimental method to be implemented almost immediately...especially since the judge told them it was either this or be tried in adult court where she would face jail for years. This new treatment was some neurotics insane idea that involved Laurel being taken across seas to Japan itself where she would be exposed to the Japanese culture...they hoped by immersing her in the reality of Asian culture then it would shock her out of her ethnic delusions she held. She had to admit it was a shocking experience...literally, for the doctor used shock therapy, Oriental music that was loud and jarring and visual images upon a large TV screen all in an attempt to make her abhor the culture. 

It had been ongoing for nearly a week until one evening a earthquake struck the city Sendai of the Tohoku Region and freed her from this hell she was trapped in. There was many inhabitants that were homeless and in need of medical care...which made it possible for Laurel to hide among the crying masses. When it was asked who she was ,Laurel quickly realized if she told them who she really was then she would be hospitalized again or sent back to America where her parents could place her back into that program. As luck would have it she remembered that there was a woman who had a daughter close to her age that was admitted here at this hospital where both of them perished in the quake...no family other than each other, it was perfect. On that night Laurel Tavers died and a Natsuko Hara was born from the rubble. She claimed she was visiting her sick mother here in this hospital when the quake hit and killed her mother Chiku Hara who was buried under the collapsed building. She also insisted that she did not know who her father was since her mother had her very young and he abandoned them before she was born...the only thing she knew was he was a blonde haired man which explained the color of her hair. She also lied about her age, saying she was 18, so there was no way they would try to look for the imaginary man. All her lies and endeavors paid off because she given a hardship scholarship by the country which she used to go back to college at the Kyoto University and became a nurse's assistant. So here she was now, working at the University hospital as a nurses assistant in the Pediatrics Ward. There had been many a day these past eleven years that her thoughts would always gravitate towards her lost love, Kai-Anji...to the point she was now beginning to image he was here in this very hospital. that was impossible...he was clear across the ocean from her...there was no way he would be in Japan. She let out a sigh and focused on work once again.

************************************

Several hours later Mitch and Anji had to leave the NICU ward because visitor hours were long past over and even though Mitch was the only family she had left, there just was no room for him to stay in. So with extremely heavy heart he had to leave and come back in the morning when visitor hours started again...at least they allowed him to sit with little Jayde for a while to bond with the baby girl. While Mitch was holding Jayde close to him...watching her breath peacefully and counting every one of her toes and fingers, he could hear Anji dialing Jamie's phone number...knowing while it was nearly 1 in the morning here, back in the states it was 8 AM. The line was picked up quickly and Jamie's soft voice came over the line...Mitch tuned Anji out when the words ~ Jamie... is Keir close to you? Good, then please go sit down....~ he focused instead on the tiny girl in his arms and not the conversation going on close to him. It didn't take long for Anji to relay the bad news to Jamie and Keir about the death of Ana, but the wails coming from Jamie could not be blocked out and it tore Mitch up to hear the pain in that young voice. When it came time to hand Jayde over to the nurse who said time was up tonight, it was very heartbreaking for him to do so, he wanted to hold her close to him forever...never to let her go. The moment the door shut, Mitch curled inward in grief as he tried to choke back the sobs tearing from him. He might have been able to hold it in but the moment Anji touched his shoulder he lost control of it and his grief echoed around the small room. Within seconds arms wrapped around his shoulders to pull him against a slender chest and soothing words caressed into his ears.

"It's alright Mitch. I am here with you...cry it out suitoharto (sweetheart)." Anji's deep voice enclosed around him like an embrace that was filled with warmth and tenderness...it was exactly what he needed. Feeling those slender arms holding him gently, yet tightly made him feel safe and protected from the cruelties of this world that rose up to rip the very earth out from under him. Eventually he ran out of tears...but not the pain of sorrow, to be able to sit back in his chair again and that's when he realized he was homeless now..all his possessions, all his memory knic-knacs , his very home was now gone, which meant there was no place to bring his niece home to when she would be released in a few days into his care. He began to shake under the strain of not knowing what he was going to do now...Anji must have read his mind because he felt one of his hands being enveloped by the older man.

"Mitch...I would like it if you stayed with me at the Ryoko, at least till you get yourself sorted out enough." those blue eyes turned in surprise to meet his browns. " It will give you both a safe place to stay at, especially when you are allowed to bring Jayde home. The Ryoko is safe and warm...there are plenty of beds and food there and...it's close to the hospital and your work." it was like an answer to his prayers.. a secure haven he could bring his niece home to and it meant he would not have to be alone while dealing with everything. Gazing into those dark brown eyes, Mitch could see the honesty and the want to help him ...he nodded and received a smile.

"Does the Ryoko have a fax machine? I need to get in touch with my lawyer back in the states to get Ana's will to prove I am Jayde's legal guardian to the officials here." he saw Anji nod at him and he gave a sigh of relief, at least that was one worry off his plate. Within a few moments they exited the small private room and were greeted by a few nurses who offered their condolences along with some forms to fill out like the newborns name. It was the same nurse who guided them here who came back with more news for Mitch.

"Ortiz-san, I understand you are the legal guardian to your meikko (niece). Well, come back in the morning to see her and we will start to show you the basics on taking care of her...feeding and diapering, alright." her smile was very comforting to both men and with a bow she left them to leave out the hospital doors where it was still raining heavily. Both men braved the torrential downpour together to get to Anji's car to take them to where they both were now staying. During the ride, Mitch seemed to be in a daze...the exhaustion of both emotional and physical was consuming him and Anji knew he would not last before succumbing to sleep. Luckily for them both the trip was short and in no time at all they made it to their destination where they both stumbled out of the car and into the warm shelter of the family home. Both men stopped in the entrance way, Mitch recalling it was called a genkan, where they wearily removed their shoes and slipped on some soft slippers that were resting upon the first step up into the home. Following Anji further into the home he saw the man give a slight bow towards a small shrine that held a stone statue,a tiny pot, and incense burning upon the shelf close to the entrance.

Following Anji further into the home he saw the man give a slight bow towards a small shrine that held a stone statue,a tiny pot, and incense burning upon the shelf close to the entrance

"Ta daima (I'm home)." Anji's deep voice echoed softly into the silent home...he saw Mitch's bleary eyes giving him a questioning look and Anji chuckled at him because he knew what the look was for. ~ I forgot it must look odd to Gaijin (foreigners) to greet a home when you enter, even if there is no one to meet you.~ he thought as he chuckled lowly before speaking. "It is a Japanese custom that whenever you enter your home you call out that you have arrived and if anyone hears they will answer back. When we do this we are greeting or acknowledging all those inside be it physical or spiritual residents." he saw Mitch's eyes go wide at the mention of spiritual residents and he smiled. " Yes...we believe the spirits of our ancestors reside with us and can hear us...so by saying *I am home* we are including them and are honored for it. It goes for that old saying ~ Happy wife equals happy home~...well for us ~Happy ancestors equals a happy home~." as Anji spoke he led Mitch down the hallway of the Sakata family residence towards his own room. He could see the young man was slightly thinking over what he said about honoring those who had died before...it sounded like an appealing notion. His faith was Catholic and in some ways they had a similar belief of the spirits of their ancestors watching over them, even to the point you send up prayer requests for those ancestors to add their voices to one's own to God above. It was Anji's sudden stop in front of a shoji screened door that interrupted his musings and when he glanced over to the older man he could see his cheeks were faintly pink...the reason why became clear quickly.

"Uhhhmm...this is my room. You can stay in here for the night and in the morning we shall clean up a room for you and Jayde to stay in. If you are uncomfortable staying in the same room, I can sleep in another room, so you can have privacy." he glanced in nervousness at Mitch and how he would react to his words. At first the young man seemed to ponder over the situation before he made a decision and he began to shift a bit anxiously there in front of that door as his eyes glanced at Anji.

"Well...uhhmm...I would not like to push you out of your bed. I am not opposed to sleeping in the same room if you are not." he waited for a moment, then saw the relieved sigh as Anji's shoulders relaxed from their tensed state.

"Yes...of course it's fine. Come on in and make yourself comfortable or if you rather take a shower before you do then go a head. I'll find you some clothes to sleep in...I think we are roughly the same size so my clothes should fit okay."it was hearing the word shower that made Mitch remember he still had not had one since this morning and now that he was aware of that, he felt grungy and disgusting. It must have shown on his face because Anji chuckled and began to steer Mitch down the hall towards where the bathing facilities were for the family. "Go...take one and I will bring you some clothes to wear tonight." with that Anji left Mitch at the door and ran off to find something that , may fit...he was after all taller and a bit wider in the shoulders than the older man but they were close enough in size.

From the moment Mitch entered the room he could feel the difference between his apartment bathing room and an Onsen bathing chamber...the one he had in his apartment was cramped and small, barely big enough for someone accustomed to American bathrooms. The Onsen bathing room for the family was spacious with stone flooring, a couple of shower heads with stools against the walls and a large , deep hot spring tub that could fit four people easily within...it was stunning to see. He instantly felt his skin cringing at the accumulation of the day upon it and he fought the desire to just dive into the hot pool that beckoned him with heated tendrils of mist coming off the surface. The first thing he did was swiftly discard his clothes in the changing portion of the room...then once the offending clothes were gone he made his way over to one of the stools naked since he was the only one in there he saw no reason to use the towel to cover his genitals like he would have if others were present.

Mitch quickly began to use one of the shower nozzles upon the wall as he washed the days grime from his body...starting with his feet then moving up his body until finally even his hair was clean. Once he was sure he was squeaky clean he stepped into the hot spring pool next to him and he lowered himself with a deep groan of pleasure into it's heated embrace. It felt like magic the way his muscles relaxed and eased so easily...even the metallic smell was soothing to his strained nerves and he closed his eyes. As he practically melted into the water he heard a sound of someone entering and his eyes cracked open...there standing in the doorway was Anji with a handful of clothes.

"I found some clothes that might fit you...I'll lay them over here upon a stool and i will take yours to be washed for you to wear in the morning." those dark eyes respectfully stayed looking at his face...not once glancing down like a gentleman. " I would suggest you stay not long in the waters...the heat can get to you if you are not used to it." his deep voice was traced with concern and it brought a warm feeling to his chest...Mitch nodded and saw Anji walk out after setting the clothes down and taking his dirty ones with him. He sat there for a few more minutes to soak in the mineral rich waters into his body before easing out and drying himself off to get dressed in his borrowed outfit which happened to be a Japanese kimono style sleepwear set for guests that was a dark blue grey color. The top was a shirt that tied in the front so it could fit most body types...the bottom half was a pair of cotton gauze pants that had an elastic band so it made it easy to pull on and off as needed. Looking at himself in the small wall mirror he could see the color was not bad on him but it was hard to miss that he wore nothing underneath his clothing for the outline of his shaft was very evident to anyone who looked at him. He knew there was no help for it unless he put back on his old underwear, which made a shiver of revulsion slither down his spine at that thought, he made his way down the hall to Anji's room...blushing the whole way there as he used a hand to sort of shield his nether region. He softly knocked on the door to let the man know he was coming in and when he entered he was greeted by that gentle smile along with the sight of his futon mattress with bamboo patterned quilt that matched the one Anji was already settled on upon the floor that looked warm and very welcoming to Mitch.

Anji saw the younger man enter the room, slightly hesitant with a hand in front of his pants to cover himself from his eyes as if he was unsure and worried about things. Anji knew what part of Mitch's problem that had him flushing pink in the cheeks was over...no underwear, which would make any man a bit uncomfortable...so Anji made sure his eyes stayed focused upon the Latin man's face to not fluster him any more than he already was. His brown eyes noticed there was dark circles under those blue eyes from exhaustion and a yearning to help ease his suffering filled him ...with a soft smile of understanding he gestured towards the other bed that was close by to him. He saw Mitch give him a bashful smile as he shut the door and went to lay down on the bed he was provided...once he saw him easing under the cover he quickly shut off the light close to his head ...plunging the room into darkness as exhaustion swept over them both.

"Oyasumi Mitch (sleep well)" his deep voice echoed in the dark to his companion barely a few feet away from him.

"Oyasumi Anji. Arigato (thank you)." he answered back softly.

"Arigato iie (no thanks needed). I am glad I can be here for you." a smile could be heard in his voice and Mitch sighed as he tried to relax his muscles enough that sleep could finally claim him. Mitch did not know how long he laid there trying to go to sleep, but it felt like an eternity as the promise of sleep kept eluding him there in the quiet room. Every time he closed his eyes, morbid images of what happened would flit across his mind that refused to shut off as it began to mull over the state of his life at this point in time. Here he was having to impose on the family of the man he yearned for...homeless...without any family..having to raise his niece by himself with nothing to his name except for the very clothes on his back. Suddenly the darkness of the room was oppressive and he felt alone with only his thoughts and grief as his companion...even though Anji laid feet away, Mitch felt alone with this albatross around him. It was all to much for him to bear and he curled up onto his bed as he cried...shoving a hand against his mouth to stifle the sounds of his anguish so not to disturb his slumbering companion. It became apparent moments later that his attempts at silence fizzled because there was a stirring close by and then a warm hand settling on his shoulder in reassurance.

"Mitch...I am here." the sound of compassion in that rich voice shattered his control and Mitch rolled over to face him...tears pouring down his face. He felt a hand upon his cheek as a thumb tenderly wiped the tears that fell down to soak in the bedding...Anji's voice was calm and soothing to his ears. As Mitch cried he felt Anji's warm body slipping under the cover along his own and strong, slender arms wrapping around his body to hold him close to that chest. That seemed to be exactly what Mitch needed for he buried his face there as the feeling of safety and warmth washed over him. It was in that moment that Mitch's body finally allowed him to relax into that consoling hold and sleep was able to claim him...no dreams...no worries...just peace in those arms that reassured him that he was not alone in this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The early morning sun rose up into the sky as a small black and white puppy padded down the hallway towards his saviors room where he began to softly scratch at the door with begging puppy whines. There was a deep groan on the other side before the door slid open by Anji who glared down at the yapping pup whose tail was wagging in happiness....without even thinking he allowed the puppy in who padded over to the occupied bed. Before Anji could stop little Akio, the little guy swiftly crawled under the covers and snuggled into Mitch's chest that was exposed ...burrowing under his chin with a satisfied sigh. 

"Akio...you chibikko (little rascal). You better not wake Mitch up. He needs to sleep." he whispered gruffly at the perfectly contented pup who suddenly began to snore under Mitch's chin. He stood there for a few minutes gazing down at the serene picture the two made upon that bed...Akio looked like the epitome of contentment curled up against that bared tanned chest because his shirt ties came undone in the night. Anji's brown eyes slid along the form of Mitch , taking in how gorgeous he was laying there so peacefully upon that futon mattress...the way that tawny chest with a smattering of dark hair upon it rose up and down with each breath he took. The way his shadowed jawed face was softened by sleep. The way the blanket sat lowly upon his hips, caressing those long firm thighs that framed the prominent bulge between them which made Anji's cheeks flush in desire and a sudden craving to see if he was endowed as it seemed. The vision of this beautiful man was breathtaking to Anji and he had to take a deep breath to calm himself down before his own desire's became evident to the naked eye...closing his brown eyes, he took deep, calming breaths as the heat of arousal flashed across him. 

It was the soft moan from Mitch as he shifted positions that caused his feeling of desire to crash over him so hard in that moment that Anji had to bite back the gasp tearing up his throat as his blood rushed south into his pants just from that one sound alone.He immediately turned on his heel and went into a small closet sized room that held all of his books that he loved dearly...shutting the door behind him before he released the ties on his pants to pull out his painful hardening erection with a soft hiss as it bounced free and smacked his stomach, he leaned back against the bookcase while facing the closed door. He knew there was no way he would be able to function at all if he did not take care of this painful manifestation below and not wanting to take a painful walk of shame down the hallway to the bathroom and possibly be spotted, he went to the one place he could go where no eyes would witness his reprehensible transgressions. Gritting his teeth to keep silent, he took his swollen thin shaft in his hand and slowly began to stroke it up and down with precise movements that would bring him to orgasm faster. As his hand slide along its length , his mind began to conjure up images that would help him climax faster, hopefully without the other man becoming aware of what he was doing...and who he was thinking of in this moment. Slowly he closed his eyes and allowed his mind to imagine it was Mitch's hand and not his that was caressing his long, thin shaft with sure movements....feeling heat curling low as his passion rose higher in him.

In his mind he saw himself with his back pressed firmly against Mitch's chest as those strong arms wrapped around Anji's body...one holding him around his chest and the other below where his hand was working Anji into a feverish pitch of lust. Those long fingers were wrapped around his turgid length as they moved upon his heated flesh with slow strokes that spoke of the younger man being in no hurry to let his lover tip over the edge. With each firm caress, Mitch whispered erotic words in Anji's ears that were designed to fuel the flames inside of his older lover.

"You like how my hand feels here Anji? Does it turn you on , knowing it is my hand giving pleasure to this pretty cock, baby?" Mitch purred as his hot breaths tickled the shell of Anji's ear which made him whimper as he nodded at Mitch. "Mmm...I can tell how much it turns you on...the way this sweet cock keeps leaking just from my touch alone...getting my hand all nice and wet." 

At that point Anji's head fell back and hit the wall behind him as he tried to contain his whimpers...praying Mitch didn't wake up and catch him pleasuring himself in this small book closet of his. As his hand kept up the steady strokes upon agonizing length, he could feel fluid leaking from the tip..helping his hand glide better and more smoother upon it. Slowly he reached out with his free hand to swipe some of the clear essence from his weeping erection and eased the lubed fingers past his sacs towards his pucker beyond them. Not once breaking his rhythm he began to tease the sensitive rim with his slicked fingers as he kept imagining Mitch teasing him so erotically the same way.

"Mmm, Anji, you have leaked so much baby that I don't need any lube to ease my way into this delicious ass of yours. It will allow me to open you up enough with my thick fingers so that I can sink into this sinfully tight heat of yours and pound this sweet ass all night...maybe I will fill you up with my hot virile cum and use a plug to keep it all in...breeding you till you swell with my baby." Mitch darkly whispered into Anji's ear as he kept teasing his rim...not once penetrating through the quivering opening, just tormenting him enough that it left him practically whimpering for more. "You want that baby? You want me to breed your boy pussy?" he smiled as Anji trembled and vigorously nodded his head...suddenly a tortured cry spilled past his clamped lips.

"Yes! Please, Mitch....please fill me with your babies!" he whimpered as the words tore out of him.

Just the thought alone of Mitch ejaculating inside of him pushed Anji over the edge as his vision went white from how intense his orgasm was as it spurted out of him and onto his hand and the floor. His legs began to tremble under him and he slowly began to slide down the wall until his butt was resting upon the floor...his lungs struggled to gather enough air into them as he just sat there...relishing the euphoria that was swaddling him in its hold. As he sat there the knowledge of what he had just done made him bow his head in mortification and he hung his head in shame. He had allowed himself to shamelessly use the image of Mitch to fuel his kink that no one knew about..not even Keir. 

There was a secret side to Anji that no one knew about because he was afraid no one would understand it...hell even he didn't fully understand it, he just knew how he felt. This little secret was considered very bizarre by most people since there was no way except by some God ordained miracle that it could ever be achieved in reality. Anji had what was called a breeding fetish...where the very idea of having no barrier between him and his lover aroused him beyond measure....he got a erotic thrill imagining himself being filled with his lovers seed and it taking to the point that he became pregnant from it. Just the thought of being swollen with child kindled a longing desire for it to happen to him...he even at one point tried to see what he looked like if he was pregnant by uploading an image of himself onto his computer and superimposed a pregnant belly onto his own. Seeing that image on his screen of him with a swollen belly excited him so much that he had to masturbate to the picture...imagining some lover was filling his non existent womb up with a bunch a babies till he had climaxed so forcibly that he had almost blacked out from it. He knew if any one found out this deep desire then they would all think he was a freak, for it was wrong for a gay man to long to be pregnant since he never can actually ever get that way...some believed it was not but a sickness of the mind and meant you were mentally unstable.

It was the chillness of his ejaculate upon his hand and the feel of it seeping into the back of his pants from where he sat down in it earlier,that brought him back to his surroundings and he made a face in disgust. Finding his legs had stopped shaking, he quickly pulled himself up and taking off his clothes he swiftly cleaned the cooling spent from his body and off the floor before stepping out of the small enclosure. He glanced over to the bed and saw both Mitch and Akio were still asleep...with a sigh of relief, he shook his head at the pair asleep upon that fluffy mattress and went to get dressed...he had a mission to fulfill this morning and he wasn't accomplishing that by staring at Mitch. With one last look at the slumbering pair , he made his way out the door and followed his nose to the kitchen where the smell of food was beckoning him towards. He entered the room and saw his sister, Kiri, and his mother , Kora, sitting at the counter with a cup of tea in their hands while breakfast cooked on the stove close by. The second he walked in his sister looked up with worry on her face as he attempted to stifle his yawn that crept up.

"Anji...you look exhausted. What happened last night?" the sweet younger woman, who looked very much like their birth mother, stood up and made him a cup of tea to help him wake up more. He accepted the cup with deep gratitude at her for this...he seriously needed the tea to wake his brain up, which after a few sips he was able to respond to the questioning stares he was being given by both women.

"I am exhausted...didn't get much sleep last night. My friend, Mitch, had a hard night at the hospital..he lost his sister, Ana, in the landslide the storm caused." he went on to explain what happened and before he was done telling them, his mother stood up with tears in her eyes and a resolute look upon her face as she gave him a hug.

"You did right musuko (son), this is a good place where he can recover. Certainly he can stay as long as he needs and when the hospital lets him bring that precious girl home they can both stay here. This is perfect for him...I know I can watch over the little girl while he is at work, since he will have to go back soon...she will be safe and well cared for here. Now all we need to do is find them a room to stay in."she released him, but her hand stayed upon his shoulder as she thought about what to do...it was Kiri who found a solution.

"Nee kachan (hey mother), how about the room next to Anji's that is being used for storage currently. We can reorganize the other storage rooms and shift the stuff around to clear out that room for them. It's on the end of the hallway and will give him a tiny bit of privacy." all three knew it was a good suggestion and decided after breakfast to begin the transformation of the space for Mitch and Jayde to live in. Watching his sister and mother making plans about the room for Mitch , made him very proud to call both women family and he felt blessed to have them in his life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*SEVERAL DAYS LATER*

It was the middle of the night when the crying began and Mitch had no idea on how to stop it. He tried walking, singing, changing her diaper, feeding her...anything he could think of, he tried to soothe little Jayde who seemed miserable as big fat tears slid down her red cheeks. Earlier this morning, he was allowed to finally bring his niece, Jayde, home from the hospital to her new temporary home. He was amazed about how readily the Sakata family opened their arms up to someone they barely knew...only knowing him as one of their "sons", Jaime, uncle. He saw it from the moment he opened his eyes and was greeted by little Akio who playfully growled at him before giving him a lick upon his cheek...then later on when Kora brought him some clothes that would fit him as he was eating breakfast, telling him his other clothes were in the wash at that time. Seeing those clothes in her hands made his eyes burn as he tried to not let the emotions overwhelm him at her generosity... he could not even refuse because the look in her blue eyes stalled any objections he may had...he was humbled by her kindness.

"Arigato gazaimasu Kora-san( thank you)...I...don't know how to thank you for everything." his voice was low as he softly murmured at the woman...shyness evident by the pink staining his cheeks.

"Arigato iie dakedo dou itashimashite (no thanks needed but your welcome). Musuko (son), you don't need to thank me for anything...you are family now and family takes care of each other. I think of you as one of my sons already." as her sweet voice echoed within the room she reached out to lay a hand upon his cheek as she pointedly stared into his blue eyes which earned her a chuckle and a ~Yes ma'am~ from him. With a satisfied sigh at him, she turned around and continued to deal with making Kaishi's medicinal tea he needed...the entire time she was making it she talked to him. "Well, musuko, we are cleaning out your room today..it may take a few days but it will be ready for when you bring home that sweet little girl of yours. In the mean time, we will be pulling together as a family during this time of crisis and help you get back on your feet. Now...first order of business today is..." she turned around to face him with a stern look on her face and a commanding tone before softening her features with a smile once again "... to go see that little baby as soon as you can. I think visiting hours start at 9 AM and it is 8:30 now." her smile was so tender that it made Mitch feel like it was an embrace from his own mother...he had to fight the tears that threatened once again. It was in that moment that Anji appeared into the kitchen along with the bouncing pup, Akio at his heels as they both made their way over to where Mitch sat.

"You almost ready to go Mitch? i'll take you back to the hospital as soon as you are." his deep voice seemed a bit tired even though he tried to hide it with a smile...Mitch looked no better, but neither man was going to let it get them down. Within short order they both made their way to the hospital where they both spent most of the day either with little Jayde or out running errands for various reasons like letting Mitch's sensai, Hiraoka, know what had happened who gave him her condolences along with a week off to get everything in order for her funeral. They also acquired the necessary paperwork from Mitch's lawyer who faxed over the legal papers he needed to gain full custody of Jayde. Over the next three days Anji stayed by Mitch's side to give him all the emotional and mental support he needed to get through everything he had to deal with...first learning how to feed and diaper the baby...planning Ana's funeral which would be here in Japan...getting a room ready for Keir and Jaime, who were flying to Japan for the funeral which was next week...everything he had to endure, Anji's support never wavered. Even at night he was there for Mitch, holding him in his arms close to that slender hairless chest where the sounds of Anji's heartbeat under his ear beating out a calming tempo that soothed a bit of the pain in his heart.

After a few days, the hospital allowed Mitch to bring his niece to her new home which Mitch had yet to see until he brought her to the Sakata home. The moment he entered the room that Kora directed him to, he was astounded by all the work the family done...there was a fluffy mattress with a lovely dark blue quilt upon it and a small wooden cradle with soft cream bedding , settled close to the floor next to the futon bed. He could see there was clothes for both Jayde and him sitting in their prospective places in the wardrobe along a wall with everything so neatly folded within. Just beyond the beds was a beautiful sliding glass door, where sunshine was casting a warm glow into the room, that could be opened onto a lovely private garden landscape. Mitch could not move from where he stood as he was mesmerized by the love of the Sakata family who labored hard in making him and Jayde a sanctuary. 

That was hours ago and now it seemed Jayde was very unhappy about something. Hearing the tiny girls cries being punctuated by loud hiccups was breaking his heart and Mitch's insecurities flared up as he listened. In that moment he felt he was inadequate and only a pale substitute to what the little girl truly needed...her mother, who had been brutally taken from her. Slowly Mitch sank to his knees onto the floor as he began to sob along with the tiny baby in his arms...both wrapped in their misery together. The sounds of their anguish hid the sound of his door sliding open and masked the footsteps that came closer until suddenly strong arms wrapped around both him and Jayde. Anji quickly knelt down to enfold the distressed pair into his arms and held both close to his naked chest as he began to whisper words of comfort into Mitch's ears. As he held onto the shaking man, he saw Mitch raise his head up and focused those blue eyes that were bloodshot from the tears pouring down his face.

"H...how...Anji?" his once smooth voice was broken and rough sounding to his own ears.

"I heard you both crying and I could not let you do this alone. Neither of you are alone for I am here for you...it breaks my heart that you are in pain." he whispered into Mitch's ear who could not stop the tears from falling as he leaned into Anji's neck with a hiccuping sob.

"Shhh...darin (darling). It's going to be alright." he tried to soothe the distraught man.

"I don't know that it will Anji. How can it be? I am not prepared for this...Ana was. I don't think I can handle all this like she could.She was the one who prepared and planned everything for Jayde. How am I going to be able to tell her about her momma...how strong she was... how beautiful she was? I have no clue how to do this....I...I...miss Ana." the sound of Mitch wailing into his neck and those tiny hiccuping cries of Jayde brought up an old memory of Kora comforting Kiri when she cried from nightmares at night or the times when Jirou and Tarou both had upset stomachs and he got up to help Kora ,since their father was having to work late that night, to calm them down. That memory was the one that came to the forefront of his mind at this moment. One of the best methods that brought the most comfort was holding the baby close to your heart where the child could hear the soothing beats as you sang while gently rubbing along their back, skin to skin...so that is what Anji did. Slowly he eased Mitch from his arms who had a bewildered look upon his face as he watched Anji gently gather the pitiful girl from his arms and placed her against his bare chest over where his heart was.

 

"Let me try something. I remember when my brothers and sister were like this , both my moms would comfort them by holding them close and singing a lullaby to them. It worked most of the time." his brown eyes saw Mitch nodding as he reached out to wipe those watery blues of the tears that trickled down his splotchy face. As Anji sat there upon the floor, he began to softly sway side to side as he sang a lullaby he heard in an old Disney movie long ago...~The Prince of Egypt: River Lullaby~ in Japanese. 

*Satto, my baby, nakanaide*

Nagare ni yurarete

Wasurenaide haha no uta wo

Yume de aeru itsu mo

Kawa yo!Kawa yo!

Odayaka ni hakobe taisetsu ni

*Ikuru jiyuu no aru tokoro* 

The sound of Anji humming and the vibrations along his chest while he rubbed her back did bring comfort to Jayde and she stopped crying. He could see Mitch's eyes gazing at him in wonder at this little miracle he was witnessing...Anji gently smiled as he began to sing once more.

* Otouto yo ima wa mou daijoubou*

Watashi ga innoteru

Oikiku natte itsu no hika

*Minna wo sokuu no yo*

Both men looked down at the tiny girl who yawned as she rested so peacefully against Anji's bare chest...Mitch was astounded that this worked and he raised his blue eyes to look upon this wondrous man who held the little girl so lovingly tender as he began to softly speak.

"This tends to work the best...the feel of skin to skin...hearing your heartbeat...and the sound of your voice tends to be the perfect combination in easing her distress." he glanced up to see Mitch's blue eyes upon him and his breath caught in his throat at the look he saw there.It was one of love and it made Anji's heart yearn for more....he quickly cleared his throat and lightly whispered so not to wake the little girl who had fallen to sleep finally. " Is it alright if we try to lay down? Maybe if we put her between us she may rest better...hearing both of our hearts may help keep her calm enough to stay asleep." he watched as Mitch nodded...biting his lip in nervousness. With slow movements both men got off the floor and walked over to Anji's room who had a larger bed that was big enough for both men and the baby to sleep upon. Slowly they both eased into the bed and gingerly settled Jayde in between them where their combined heat seeped into her small body...sending her into a deep peaceful sleep. Both men gave a relieved sigh as they watched her even breaths that told them she had finally fallen asleep. With identical smiles Mitch and Anji laid down on their sides facing one another as they both settled a hand upon the tiny jewel between them. A feeling of peace and completeness enveloped them both as if this was the way things should always be between them...sharing their life together as a family. It was that very thought that chased them both down as they fell asleep finally...hands resting together over the sweet little girl. The following morning both men woke up to the sounds of Jayde's giggles as a little yipping bundle of fur licked her face with his tail wagging.

*WEEK LATER*

The day of Ana's funeral arrived and was heralded by the soft perfumed scent of flowers upon the air as if Ana was trying to lift the mourners spirits with a touch of beauty. It was Mitch's choice to have her burial done in a traditional Japanese manner, complete with a wake and later cremating her body, since she loved Japan from the moment they came here. There was first the wake where a priest chanted a section from the sutra while family lit incense in a urn close to her body and by the time he was done chanting the wake ended. The next day the funeral bore a resemblance to the wake where there was more incense and more chanting from the priest as guests and family placed flowers within her casket all around her body before it was sealed then carried in a elaborately decorated hearse that transported her body to the local crematorium. The family followed behind the hearse to the crematorium where Ana's body was cremated at and witnessed by her grieving family. It was a sorrowful time for the family but it also held some enjoyable moments for little Jayde was fawned over by Jaime and Keir. As Mitch looked on them he could see a certain glint in Jaime's eyes that told him maybe in the near future there would be another addition to the O'Shea family. Through the whole ordeal, Anji stayed by Mitch's side...holding his hand as he willed his strength into the younger man the whole time...giving him all the love and support he had to him.


	7. Date Night (part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter is a bit shorter because Date Night 2 will be longer....The song is "Lullaby of Takeda [Takeda No Komoriuta], Japanese Folk Song - The Red Birds [Akai Tori]" which is a popular song in Kyoto.

Many weeks had passed by and during that time the Sakata household pulled together as a family in balancing between running Koyo Sakata Onsen, taking Kaishi back and forth to his doctor appointments and Mitch's work...he even allowed Kora to watch over little Jayde while he went to work at the clinic each day. At first he had to tear himself away, feeling like he was trapped in a tug of war with in himself each time he had to leave, but he knew he had to work...to give her a better life. It was Anji and Kora who were able to soothe his unease at leaving Jayde there...both promising to call him on his breaks or if something came up which allowed him to breath a bit easier as he left. Throughout the day he would call to listen to her and hear about the day, which would ease his worries...periodically he would receive pictures or short videos of Jayde and a lot of Akio with her. There was one specific one where she was laying in a bouncy chair and Akio was cuddled up next to her kissing her cheek which made her smile...it reminded him of Ana and he had to choke back the tears that were threatening to spill from his eyes. It seemed as if little Akio had bonded with Jayde for everywhere she went he was definitely not far behind...like the little lamb in that old children's song "Mary had a little lamb". Little Akio may seem like a lamb for how sweet and goofy he acted but whenever Jayde became distressed he became a totally different puppy...he was like a tiny lion as he growled at whatever caused his girl to scream out... until her dilemma was solved once again.

Watching how each day those two were bonding so tightly would fill Mitch's heart with tenderness, knowing his niece had such a loyal companion in Akio. During these weeks Mitch also got to see how Jayde was bonding with the entire Sakata family...Kora and Kaishi both acted like doting grandparents to the little girl with the way they cooed at her and showed Mitch how to take care of her better. He saw how Kaihei, Kiri, Jirou and Tarou all acted as if this was their own little sister or niece...all fighting to steal Jayde away from one another so they could cuddle the tiny girl to them. He knew others would view this as usurping his place as Jayde's caregiver, but Mitch could only see how well loved the girl was and how happy she was being surrounded by such kind people. The one person though that Jayde preferred out of the entire Sakata family was Anji...he was her favorite of them all. Yes Kaishi and Kora were great as grandparent role models...yes Kaihei, Kiri, Jirou and Tarou were awesome at making her feel like family...but the one who drew out the biggest smiles was Anji. She would kick her little legs and wave her hands in delight every time him or Mitch came around her. Mitch believed the reason why she gravitated towards Anji was because he was there at night to hold her in his arms whenever she became distressed...along with Mitch who also yearned for the comfort the older man brought to them both. For some reason the little girl refused to sleep at night unless both men were surrounding her where she could feel their skin and hear their heartbeats...playing a drumbeat lullaby in her ears.

At first Mitch was concerned about her needing to sleep with him AND Anji, but after Kora told him Jayde probably felt stressed because of how she was born early and required him to feel more secure, his worries eased a bit. Another reason Mitch was feeling nervous at bedtime was his other sleeping companion who unknowingly made it hard for him to sleep...literally, Mitch was hard below every night. Hearing Anji's deep breaths and feeling the touch of his hand upon his stirred the desire deep inside of him making him yearn for more than just a simple touch of his hand. As he laid there next to his niece and Anji, his mind would wander to all the possibilities that could be open to them if Jayde was sleeping in her own bed. 

The way Anji would sound when Mitch touched that smooth chest...teasing those dusky nipples with his fingers or with his tongue making the man gasp in pleasure. The way Anji would taste upon his tongue when Mitch would take that length , hidden within those loose pants he wore each day, into his hot wet mouth. He would imagine that Anji's essence would taste slightly salty and a bit bitter upon his tongue when he finally released into Mitch's wet cavern... or he would imagine how tight Anji would feel wrapped around his aching shaft. Maybe Anji would allow Mitch to release deep inside of his tight channel without any barrier between them...soaking up the hot spent inside in hopes of being bred by Mitch's virile seed. This thought alone featured prominently in a lot of his personal fantasies ..the desire to cum deep inside his lover...filling him up until his insides were over flowing with his seed that was so potent it would impregnate his lover and create a child within. Mitch knew it was impossible to impregnate another man...if it actually happened he most likely would mentally freak out a little bit, but on the other hand he loved that image. To see your lover swollen with your child...proof of virility and the love you both shared was a tremendous turn on for him and he wished he could find someone who shared this little kink of his...maybe Anji would be okay with it.

Just the these desires alone would make him tremble slightly and bite back the moan crawling up his throat to be heard in the silent room. Each time his mind began to fantasize about Anji and him, he would feel himself hardening within his own sleep pants and it would become painful to the point he either would have to adjust it or go to the bathroom to take care of the problem. The first time he moved away to go take care of himself in private, little Jayde would begin to whimper and he had to lay back down to comfort her...from that day on he had to try staying still and focus on making his arousal die down. Every time he had to do so, he would be disgusted with himself for even thinking such lewd thoughts around his niece...it had to be wrong somewhere, having such obscene fantasies about Anji with Jayde resting between them. Each morning he would groan loudly at this frustrating predicament he found himself in...it didn't help at all that when he looked over at the older man on the other side of the bed he could see the same look in Anji's eyes..one of bridled desire darkening those brown eyes, before he turned over to get up himself. In some way it was a relief that he was not alone in his hunger for the other...but he knew if this craving for one another was not quenched soon then one of them was going to exploded from all the repressed passion between them. That day finally came almost six weeks after she came home when life seemed to be moving along perfectly.

It was a bright Friday morning when Mitch was working at the clinic dealing with several injuries some athletes had acquired this rainy time of the month. It seems Japan had an extremely rainy season that occurs between the months of June and July , which causes more people to either get sick with summer colds or injure themselves as they tried to dodge the rain without any true success. Today seemed to be beautiful and not rainy, which was a very nice change compared to the last few days...not to hot, but still warm enough that it made you want to venture outside to soak in some warm rays into your body. As Mitch was wrapping up a elderly man's ankle, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket which he ignored for the time being, until shortly after he was able to go on break to see the message that was sent.   
It was a short video of Kora holding Jayde in her arms while Kaishi and Akio was reclining upon his bed resting after some therapy he had undergone the day before. This video of the four of them was so beautiful and sweet that it made him want to watch it all day...listening to the sweet melody Kora's voice made as she sang to the little girl in her arms while Kaishi and Akio lounged close by to listen to her. He realized it was Anji who was covertly recording the scene for him and he wanted to thank him for this endearing video he now had. Quickly he called Anji's phone and within a few rings he answered it...there was a smile in his voice.

"Konichiwa Mitch (hello). How's your day going today?" there was the sounds of rustling going on over the line, but judging by Anji's tone he wasn't to busy to talk.

"It's good...this weather makes me want to be outside with you and Jayde...maybe having a picnic together." He chuckled softly, but there was a note of wistfulness within the sound that Anji could easily hear.

"Yeah, me too. So...did you get the message I sent shortly ago?" Anji sounded excited about the video he took.

"Hai (yes). I loved it. Domo arigato (thank you very much). It was beautiful Anji. What is it called?"his voice dropped a little bit as he gazed at a picture on the wall that was of a beautiful Japanese garden with hints of a soft mist kissing the flowers goodbye as it began to melt away from the rising dawn. Something about it appealed to Mitch on such an intimate level that he felt a longing to see this sight with Anji who's deep voice was still talking to him on the phone.

"It's an old lullaby kachan (mother) used to sing to us when we went to sleep. It's called Takeda No Komoriuta. The translation of it is very sad because it is about a poor girl who comforts herself about her miserable life. One day she is forced to serve a rich family on the other side of the mountain with a baby upon her back. It goes like this...

* I would hate babysitting beyond Bon Festival. The snow begins to fall and the baby cries. How can I be happy when even Bon Festival is here? I don't have nice clothes or a sash to wear. This child continues to cry and is mean to me. Every day I grow thinner. I would quickly depart here and go back. In the distance I can see my parents home. In the distance , I can see my parents home.*

"Hai, that is sad. I think I prefer the original version better...it sounds beautiful when your mother sang it." he could hear the agreeing smile in Anji's voice and it made heat bloom inside at the thought of one being there.

"I'll tell her that but first...I wanted to know..." suddenly his deep voice became hesitant as if nervous about something. "...Uhmm...kachan is offering to watch Jayde tonight and I thought maybe...you know...might want to...you know, uhmm..possibly go on a date with me." he sounded unsure and very anxious about what Mitch's answer would be.

Mitch stood there in the break room with surprise written upon his face because he understood why Anji was nervous. Several nights ago as they both laid there facing one another with Jayde in between them, they decided to talk a little bit about their past. Somewhere during their hushed conversation the subject of that horrific Valentines Day night back in college came up...by the time Anji was done telling him that tale, Mitch felt the overwhelming urge to pull Anji into his arms to ease the painful memories of what he had to endure while whispering a promise to protect him from this ever happening again. He knew that was impossible since there was a slumbering angel blocking him from doing so, but could hold one of Anji's hands within his own and it seemed it was enough by the smile turned his way...for now. So hearing Anji asking him out on a date was an enormous step for the older man...it took alot of courage to face his fears about allowing another to get close to him again. The sound of Anji clearing his throat in nervousness shook Mitch out of his surprise and he swiftly blurted out his answer.

"Yes!..Hai!...of course I would love to go with you tonight." there was a happy relieved sigh on the line. " So....Where you taking me tonight?" Mitch could not help how giddy he felt that inside in the knowledge that they were going to get a little bit of private time together finally.

"Let it be a surprise. I'll... pick you up at your door around 7 PM tonight...give you time to freshen yourself up." that deep voice turned a bit dark and seductive which made Mitch's lungs stop working as tendrils of heat spiraled downwards and brought about a stirring within his pants. With a groan, Mitch had to quickly adjust himself as discreetly as possible...praying that he would be able to will his erection away before he had to go back from break....the sound of Anji's chuckle did not help in anyway and Mitch bit back his growl. "I will see you at 7...have a...nice day. Hopefully, it's not to...hard for you. Ja ne (bye)." the line went silent suddenly and Mitch stared incredulously at his phone as he let a curse slip from his mouth.

"Damn that man." his little problem seemed to get a bit harder to deal with and he grabbed a bag of ice out of the freezer that was normally for patients and settled it over his ache that was protruding his pants outwards, with a low hiss of pain at the chill from the bag. It was not long before his shaft settled back down and he was about to return the bag back to the freezer when the door to the room opened up quickly to admit one of his colleagues.

"Nee Mitch-san (hey)...are you about to use that? I need one quickly for one of my patients." she rushed over to him and he handed over the bag to her...hoping if she noticed his reddening cheeks, she wouldn't ask any questions about it. His prayers were answered for without any pause she took the cold wrap from him and ran out the door with it...not hearing his relieved sigh.

~Dios(God)...that was close. Few seconds sooner and she would have caught me using it in a very inappropriate manner. Try explaining that one..."Pardon me while I put the tent in my pants on ice."~ with a soft laugh he walked out the door to go back to work...5 O'Clock couldn't come soon enough for him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
*SEVERAL HOURS LATER*

The sky was darkening outside over the Sakata home when the tapping on the door alerted Mitch that the time had finally arrived for him to go on his date with Anji. Quickly he adjusted his shirt as he approached the door, trying to tamp down the nervous jitters coursing through his body and slide it open to reveal the man on the other side. There stood Anji looking like he just stepped out of a erotic fantasy movie that featured him as the naughty school teacher who was about to give a lesson on the finer points of classroom etiquette. Those dark locks of his were perfectly styled back in a sleek coif that made Mitch's fingers itch to run through the thick strands and cause them to go in disarray from his touch...making him look less in control of whatever he was teaching and more like he was barely curbing his desire to not take his student's body so lustfully. Sitting upon his elegant face was a pair of reading glasses, that he knew Anji used when not wearing his contacts, perched perfectly upon his aquiline nose that added to this image making Anji appear more like the stern instructor who would carry a ruler in hand...ready to swat his wayward, disobedient student with it in any way he felt needed. Trailing his blue eyes down, Mitch saw Anji was wearing a black suit with a maroon tie to add a faint bit of color to his sinful ensemble...seeing Anji looking like this made Mitch's blood heat up and a growl slipped out as his desire to take this man rose higher. The sound of Mitch's desire made those brown eyes twinkle in humor as he smiled at the stunned man.   
Standing there for only a few moments smirking, Anji's brown eyes took in the slightly more muscular , younger man's appearance and he could feel tendrils of desire coiling inside of him along with the fluttering of nerves, at how gorgeous this man was. A part of him wanted to just forgo the dinner and instead dine on this scrumptious looking feast of man before him. Tonight Mitch was dressed up in a ruby red shirt with a black vest over it that accentuated the breadth of his chest and allowed a teasing amount of hair upon it to peek through the opened collar. His brown eyes practically caressed their way down, taking in how well fitted those black pants looked upon Mitch...hugging those rounded cheeks of his backside so exquisitely that Anji felt his mouth water at the sight. He suddenly felt himself beginning to become aroused and his slacks started to feel tight and pinching upon him...a low groan vibrated in his throat and he tried to cover it up with a cough.

"Ah-hmm...Are you..uhhmm...about ready?" his deep smooth voice echoed out towards Mitch who with a gulp nodded at him...then blushed when Anji held out his arm like a gentleman towards Mitch who took the offering before him. They both walked down the hallway towards where the rest of the family were sitting at, about to have their dinner...Mitch saw Jayde in her cradle like chair between Kora and Kaishi with a bottle in her mouth as she sucked away at the warm milk. The moment they entered the room there was a pair of wolf whistles from the twins before Kora gave both boys a look that stopped them. With a blushing smile, Mitch let go of Anji's arm and went over to Jayde to kiss her on her head.

"You look nice musuko (son). Very handsome." Kora smiled at Mitch who returned it back with a faint tinge of pink to his cheeks.

"now, both you boys don't worry about ojousama (princess) here. She will be fine till the morning...so you both just enjoy yourselves and don't worry about anything." Kaishi's voice seemed strong tonight which reassured Mitch that everything was going to be fine and they could relax for the evening.

"Domo arigato otousan (thank you father). If you need either of us, I will keep my phone on in case of emergency." Anji patted his jacket to make sure he did have it on him before holding out his hand towards Mitch who took it and with a wave both men left out the door on their date. The entire way to the place, Anji was taking them for their date, he was a gentleman...first by opening the car door for Mitch and handing him inside before going over to his own side to drive them to this mysterious place which happened to be a very nice restaurant called The Fortune Garden Kyoto.  
They pulled up to what looked like a large hotel building , all gray-white stone on the outside...but what laid within was anything such. The restaurant was large with many table settings that were already filled up with many patrons which gave evidence to how good the food was. As they entered a young man greeted them...asking if they had reservations, which Anji confirmed ~we do~ and with elegant poise, they were both shown to their seats which was outside next to a koi pond that meandered amidst a lush bamboo grove with soft overhead lighting casting a romantic glow on those dining in the open air cafe style garden. It was all very stunning to Mitch as he gazed around at this beautiful yet very romantic setting...aware of those dark brown eyes twinkling in delight at the captivated look upon the young mans face.

"Anji...this place....it's beautiful." with a smile Mitch reached over and ran his fingers upon the older man's hand...a warm tingle raced along his skin and he could tell from the faint pink along those slender cheeks that Anji felt it also. With a smile at him, Anji turned his hand over to take Mitch's warm hand into his own as he spoke where he softly stroked along the back of it.

"Anata to wa hibubekumonai (not as beautiful as you) Mitch. You look...oishii (tasty)." on the last word Anji's voice sounded sinfully seductive which made his blood heat up with desire. There was heat within those brown eyes that held a promise of more to come tonight...if, Mitch was desiring it as much as Anji was and judging by how those blue eyes darkened as the young man gulped, he was pretty sure Mitch was on board with whatever Anji had in mind. Tendrils of desire coiled within both men as the knowledge of where this night may lead to and suddenly their appetite for food waned as their hunger for each other increased. Licking his lips, Anji debated on whether to change their dinner venue from here and back to the Sakata home where he could instead of feasting on high quality food prepared by a chef, he could instead feast on a succulent plate of Mitch with a nice side of hot cum to fill up some empty places within him. The thought of doing that sent a shiver along his spine and a feeling of pressure below in his pants that made him squirm a bit in his seat. Taking a deep breath he began to calm himself down for he knew no matter how much the idea appealed to him , he wanted more than anything to treat Mitch to a romantic night...he deserved that. When one of Mitch's fingers moved to stroke along the pulse point of Anji's wrist, he felt like an electric shock blasted along his nerves and turned Anji's hunger into a blaze of desire where he felt his libido roaring out of control...it almost won until their server abruptly showed up with a pleasant smile upon his face, glancing down at their joined hands briefly before they broke apart.

"What can I get you two gentlemen this evening?" his voice was smooth as he spoke eloquently in Japanese, which Anji translated for Mitch. With a look at Mitch, Anji knew that he wanted him to order for them both...letting the older man take the lead this night.

"We both will have a beer...the watercress salad...and... whatever is the Chef's special this evening." Anji ordered and then handed over the menus back to the waiter who noted it all down in his book before taking his leave to give it to the chef in the back room. When the waiter left, Anji turned his attention back to Mitch who was looking at him to translate what he had ordered since both men had spoken in Japanese. " Hope everything I ordered was fine with you." his deep voice seemed a little apprehensive at what he had done. Quickly Mitch reached back over and took Anji's hand in his own to reassure him that everything was fine, knowing how Anji felt about taking charge.

"It is fine Anji. I am good with whatever you decide...and I mean...whatever." he gave the older man a flirty smile which did not help allay the lust stirring inside of them both but it did help with Anji's worries as he tightened his hold upon Mitch's hand as if it was his safety net that gave him the courage he needed. They both just sat there enjoying the soft breeze that was blowing enough to make the evening pleasant while savoring the feel of the others hand until their server brought their drinks to them...both attempting to quell the fluttering within them.

Watching the way the fireflies danced over the water and through the bamboo grove cast a feeling of enchantment over this night, making it seem as if anything they dared to dream of could happen this very night. Gazing pon his companion, Anji felt a warmth spread through him as he watched Mitch take a drink of the chilled beverage...seeing how that tawny throat worked each swallow he took...the way the golden liquid glistened upon his lip that made Anji tremble with the desire to lean across the table and lick it off those tantalizing lips. His hand, that was still resting comfortably within Mitch's own, shook slightly and alerted the other man to some of his lascivious thoughts because those ocean eyes focused upon his browns as a knowing smile settled onto those smirking lips. 

Mitch was very aware of those dark eyes tracking each movement he made as he drank from his glass and set it back down...the telling quiver of that slender hand and the way those brown eyes seemed to glaze over a bit then darkened whenever he swiped his tongue over his upper lip to gather the golden moisture up from off of it, all told Mitch of the desire pent up inside of the older man. Seeing Anji like this stirred up his wicked side and he could not resist tugging him closer by his hand as he inclined his body closer to the other man so no one could over hear his words...his blue eyes held a look of concern within their depths.

"Is something wrong querido (darling)? Are you cold? I can feel you shaking hermosa (beautiful). If it is to cool for you, I can ask if they can move us inside where it is warmer, or...." suddenly the troublesome look in his eyes disappeared and a impish glint rose up within as his voice dropped seductively lower. "... Maybe I need to find another way to warm you up...amor (love)." The moment Mitch whispered those words so seductively with a smirk upon his tantalizing lips, a electrified jolt shot straight down to his groin and he had to bite back the moan threatening to burst from his throat at the image that provocative voice conjured up. Anji's mind swirled around with visions of Mitch dragging him across that small table as he ripped the suit from his body to leave him exposed to those gathered around them, eyes. His filthy mind envisioned Mitch would then throw him face down across the pristine white clothed table, showing him Mitch's dominate side as Anji is made to face the reflective glass partition where the other diners within could see him. His brain summoned up the lustful images of what Mitch's voice was implying and offering....warming Anji up from the inside out with his thick shaft filling up his tight passage perfectly as the younger man pounded into Anji...claiming him where all could see that Anji belonged to Mitch fully. Those brief images darting across his mind had Anji gasping under his breath as his hand tightened upon Mitch's...feeling himself hardening painfully under the table. In that moment Anji was glad that the table cloth covered his lap from any eyes that peered his way as his hunger for Mitch rose up to the point he felt like he was going to explode from the intensity of it. It was the knowing smirk upon that shadowed jawed face that helped Anji reign in his overly lusty desires...realizing Mitch knew full well what he was doing to Anji in that second. 

Taking a deep breath, Anji was able to subdue his lecherous libido and decided that two can play this provocative game Mitch had started. With a smile, Anji proceeded to tease and taunt Mitch into fighting to control his ardor over the course of dinner with each action and every innuendo he made. It started off with their appetizer of watercress salad that was sprinkled with strawberries on top, where he plucked a strawberry off the top with his long chopsticks and slowly bit into it with a soft moan as the sweet juices spread across his tongue.

"Mmm.. the juices are very ...sweet and good...just like you kireina (beautiful)." those blue eyes went wide at the sound and a blush bloomed on those shadowed cheeks...seeing the Latino man beginning to shift slightly in his seat made Anji smile. The next volley within this skirmish of sexual enticement was when their main meal came to their table which happened to be one of Anji's favorite foods and perfect in this game...sushi. The way the chef had prepared the tuna sushi was amazing as the well seasoned flesh caressed his tongue and glided exquisitely down his throat made Anji close his eyes as he savored the succulent flavor with a appreciative moan. Hearing the barely audible whimpered ~FUCK~ coming from Mitch, he let his eyes slip open again as he smiled so innocently at the man seated across from him. Taking notice of Mitch's chopsticks poised over the plate with nothing between them , Anji eagerly leaned over and plucked up a piece with his own to offer to the entranced man.

"Mitch, you must try this. It is very oishii (tasty)...so sinfully good." he let his already deep voice drop down into a seductive purr that went straight to Mitch's already hard shaft....making him wish he had worn something looser to accommodate the painful pressure below that was making him whimper in his seat. In that moment Mitch saw the game Anji was playing at and with a growl he leaned over to take the tasty morsel being offered to him between his pearly teeth...his blue eyes focusing intensely into Anji's browns. The heat he put into that single look was on the verge of being obscene but he kept it a hairs breath with the boundaries of the public eye...but just barely. The rest of the meal went on like this back and forth, both men seducing the other with each look...each casual seeming touch until the shivery feeling of anticipation consumed them and neither man could take this game any more. Quickly Anji called the server over to pay his bill and then they both made a hasty exit...scarcely keeping themselves from running through the light drizzle out to the car in their hurry to get someplace more private.


	8. Date Night-part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sam smith-stay with me (maco and matt cab tokyo cover) is the song i found that adds to this chapter

Slowly the car eased into its parking of the residence before coming to a complete stop and shutting off as the rain fell harder onto the roof with loud splatters that drowned out the sounds within the car. Inside the vehicle sat both Mitch and Anji who kept peering out of the windshield at the deluge coming down...both debating about whether to make a run for the house now or see if they should wait it out in hopes of it easing up enough to not get soaked before they reached the door. On one hand, if they left the car now they would get drenched before they made it two feet from the car, but also knowing neither would stay wet for very long because they would help each other to strip out of their sodden clothes which was a very appealing thought. That possibility was very tempting...to be able to peel those wet layers off one another's body and warm up the chilled flesh to be found beneath with warm kisses was a big turn on for both men. But the other side of this tempting coin, if they decided to wait it out for the rain to ease up a bit, then they both would remain relatively dryer and they could enjoy a little bit of foreplay as if they were teenagers again. They both could steal some kisses...maybe doing a little bit heavy petting that would fog up the windows from the heat generated between them. Either option was extremely tempting...dodge rain and get to the intense part of their date or stay in the car where they can act like horny teens, like they did at the restaurant earlier. Shortly after they had left the Fortune Garden Restaurant, giggling as they walked hand in hand towards Anji's car, it began to drizzle rain down which quickly turned into a heavy fall that made Anji focus all his attention on the rain slicked roads. Neither man wanted to divert their attention off the drive, so both kept their hands to themselves the entire way home...but now, since they were safely home they no longer had to worry about any mishaps upon the road. Slowly Mitch turned to Anji to ask him what option he wanted and found the dark haired man already gazing at him with subdued passion in those dark brown eyes...his bottom lip caught between those strong teeth. Seeing the bridled ardor within that dark heated gaze made Mitch's breath hitch in his chest and his heart race.

*ANJI POV*

"Mitch...I..." he swallowed hard as his nerves began to get the best of him. He wanted to so badly to grab the handsome man up in his arms and kiss those lips, that had been taunting him all night...showing him how much he truly desired him. The problem was Anji was very nervous about moving to fast and possibly doing something that would make Mitch leave him. It was one of the reasons why he was apprehensive to admit to this man about his little fetish...he was scared if Mitch knew about it then he would be disgusted of Anji and if they stayed on this coarse they had been venturing on this night, then the possibility of him finding out increased. He had turned to look at Mitch to find out if he wanted to make a mad dash for the house where it would be dry, but the moment his eyes landed upon Mitch, who was looking out the window at the rain pouring down, he felt his arousal spiking out of control where his fears dissipated and he had to bite his lip to stifle the groan of desire swirling in his guts. The way the outside lights from the house's entrance shone upon his face...the way those blue eyes gazed so longingly up at the rain as if unsure he wanted to brave it...the way those perfect lips upon his stubble jaw were parted slightly as he breathed, all of it made the hunger inside of Anji flared up more within for this man sitting next to him. Suddenly those blue eyes turned his way and the look within those orbs as his breath hitched told Anji that Mitch was feeling the same desire as him.

*MITCH POV* 

"Mitch...I..." Anji's voice trembled a bit which showed how nervous he was at this time. Mitch understood how the older man felt and he reached over to caress his right hand that rested between them on the console, to calm his nerves... it helped, judging by the soft smile on Anji's face as Mitch spoke the words Anji could not seem to finish.

"I know querido (darling). I want you too...so much it hurts." his voice was soft but Anji heard it over the rain and those brown eyes turned nearly black with desire. Taking a deep breath, Mitch slowly tightened his hand around Anji's own and brought it up to his lips where he placed a kiss upon those slender fingers, making a blush bloom upon those cheeks...his blue eyes stared into those browns intently. He was pretty sure, as he gazed into those dark eyes, that Anji was wanting him as much as Mitch desired him, just from the sight of blood rushing to his cheeks and the sounds of his soft escalating breaths.

"Dios (God), I want to kiss you so bad Anji. Can I..kiss you, please?" his voice was husky as he gazed with longing in his eyes. When he saw Anji nod at him, he felt joy coursing through him as he reached over with a trembling left hand to cup Anji's face and leaned over the console between them...being met halfway by Anji. The moment their lips touched, it was as if electric waves sparked along his veins and his hunger for this man spiraled up within. Feeling those soft lips pressed so gently upon his made them both sigh in pleasure as they enticingly brushed their lips across one another's...trying to find that perfect spot to fully settle upon. Once they found that perfect angle, they pressed tighter as soft moans slipped from them which caused shivers of desire to dance along their senses. That sweet sound Anji made there next to him brought a yearning to Mitch where he longed to hear more and he swiftly swiped his tongue across those lips...seeking permission to enter which was immediately granted to him. It was the feeling of Anji's tongue sliding across his that made his control slip a fraction where his hand traveled up from Anji's smooth face and sank into those thick, dark strands...destroying his styled locks. Before long, both of their desires spiraled higher and he suddenly had Anji crawling across that small barrier to straddle Mitch's lap...earning himself a deep guttural moan of desire as their clothed erections lightly dragged across each other briefly.

"Dios!" he tore his mouth away briefly to gasp out in surprise as the air left his lungs at Anji's actions...hands shifted down to those slender hips to hold Anji right where he had been dreaming of for the past six weeks, right over his erection. As he sat there gasping for breath, his hands flexed upon those hips...fighting the overwhelming urge to either thrust up against that delectable bottom that was perched so tantalizingly close to his straining shaft or drag him down onto it, which either way was good to him. Slowly Mitch leaned his head against Anji's where their breaths mingled in the small space between. "Dios Anji...you're so gorgeous...so perfect to me that it makes me want to ruin you for anyone else. To take you...here in this cramped space, where anyone can see us if they look out their windows." Mitch closed his eyes as he tried to restrain his passions...not really sure if Anji actually wanted to take things further than these heated kisses at this time. As he sat there, eyes closed tightly, trying to diminish his rampaging hormones with each breath he took, he did not notice the look upon Anji face as the man sat there hovering over the straining bulge below him.

*ANJI POV*

Anji sat there perched upon Mitch's lap ...straddling those slightly larger hips which made him feel more aroused at how close he was to feeling that hard rise pressing against him if he lowered himself only another inch down. He could see the strain upon Mitch's face as he fought the urge inside himself to not cross that boundary between sweet kisses and the realm of carnal desires. In someways, Anji understood why Mitch was trying to tamp down his powerful hunger...it was because he did not want to cross any line that would hurt what they had going on between them. It seems, if Anji wanted them to progress beyond these mouthwatering kisses, then he would have to let Mitch know and he knew the perfect way to clue this arousing man in to his own desires.

"Uhmm..Mitch?" his voice was deeper than normal, like a deep rumble in his chest, as he sat there over Mitch's thighs...gazing intently into those stunning blues that sprang open instantly at the sound of his inquiring tone. " Do you remember that night when we parted? You told me ""Let's part on a kiss as friends and the next time we see each other once more, then we will see what happens next."". Well...here we are again...together and..." he looked down in sudden shyness before taking a deep breath as he looked up from under his long, dark lashes with a coquettish gaze that made Mitch's heart start hammering in his chest and the already painful tightness below turning agonizing as Anji spoke on. "And I was wondering...can we try it again, more kisses and maybe...that other promise you gave me then?" Mitch's brows furrowed at Anji in slight confusion, it was obvious that he did not recall what he had promised Anji several months ago...Anji chuckled at his expression right before leaning close to whisper in a sultry tone into that tanned shell of Mitch's ear. "The one where you promised to have me naked...begging you to fuck my tight ass for so long and so hard that I would feel it for a long time. You claimed that you could have me...begging...for...more." Anji's voice was so sensual...so deep... so sinfully carnal that it hid how nervous he felt at his boldness. He saw how those blue eyes went wide in surprise as Mitch's very breath was knocked out of him again at Anji's lust filled words. It was Anji's next words that delivered the final blow to all of Mitch's pent up passion he had been trying to shackle down for weeks on end. "I am not sure if you can do as you claim. I think...I...will need proof to believe such a claim you are making to me." no sooner did Anji issue his challenge, Mitch's blue eyes went dark like the deep ocean and he growled low as he accepted this challenge set before him.

*MITCH POV*

Narrowing his eyes, he moved his hands away from those narrow hips and up along Anji's back under his dark jacket...trailing his fingers teasingly along the spine covered by that white shirt as he growled seductively out. " You want proof? Then, let me show you what I can do hermoso (beautiful)." as he sensually trailed his fingers along Anji's back...up between those shoulder blades, then down towards those delectable cheeks, that still hovered over him, where he dipped his fingers past the band of those pants to lightly caress the top of the cleft there. He loved the sound that slipped past those lips as Anji arched his back...pressing his chest against Mitch's own...a breathless whimper escaping from his throat that drove Mitch out of his mind where he began to lose any filter between his brain and mouth which allowed words to slip out unintentionally. "Are you sure you want it querido (darling)? Because...I promise when I am done, you will know good and well what I can do. You will know fully that you are mine as I claim that sweet ass of yours...branding you as mine with all my hot cum that will fill you up." as he growled out those words his mind realized what he had just said to Anji and his very breath stuttered in his chest followed by his heart. 

It seemed he had gotten so caught up in his passion that he had failed to sensor his words as his secret desires spilled out of him. He had not wanted Anji to find out about his hidden kink like this...he thought he could conceal it until such a time when they had been together long enough that the man would not think that Mitch was a freak. With trepidation , his blue eyes focused upon Anji's face in hopes that either he missed what Mitch had let slip out or was not to repulsed by his words...he sent up a silent prayer it was the latter. What he saw there in those brown eyes, made his heart slam in his chest...Anji's face showed his surprise with his mouth hanging open and those chocolate orbs opened wide. Just as Mitch began to fear that he had messed up badly, he noticed the pupils of those eyes blown wide in lst as his mouth snapped closed where a whimper issued from those kiss swollen lips...that slender body in his arms began to quiver in desire. Hearing those sounds emitting from this gorgeous man filled Mitch with hope that maybe he had not destroyed his chances with Anji and he allowed a erotic smile to grace his face as he took a chance as he huskily spoke. 

" You want that amor (love)? You want me to cum in this ass of yours?" he could feel Anji trembling harder with desire at his words as those brown eyes closed and a broken plea slipped forth from those appealing lips.

"Yes. Yes, I want that Mitch. So, so very much...please." he huskily groaned out as his deepest desire spilled out into the open...not seeing Mitch's smile growing in pleasure at realizing that Anji shared the same erotic secret as him.

"Then, mi tesoro (my treasure), I will give you all the cum you desire. I will fill you up with it all night long, mi hermoso amor (my beautiful darling)." slowly he pulled a hand from Anji's back to slip up into those dark disarrayed locks upon Anji's head. He deliberately pulled his dark haired lover closer and just when they were a hairs breath apart, Mitch's words whispered across Anji's over sensitized lips...the warm air ghosting across them both. " So, how about we go inside, where I can finally fulfill my promises to you? Mi amor (my love)."

*ANJI POV*

At first Anji was in shock when he heard Mitch's deep husky growl in his ear, promising to fill up his empty, hungry passage with his Latin essence like Anji has yearned for these many weeks now. Hearing those words he has only dreamed and fantasized about, sent heat coursing throughout his body and he could not stop the whimper bursting from his throat as his body shivered with want. It seems that was the perfect response because a sexy smile slowly made its way on Mitch's face and his already seductive voice dropped lower into a husky growl that made the wanton need in him blaze hotter.

" You want that amor (love)? You want me to cum in this ass of yours?" that voice was filled with such temptation that Anji could not fight this need inside himself anymore...he knew he could not hide anything from this man, so he closed his eyes and opened up this pandora's box within his heart as his voice broke upon his whimpering words.

"Yes. Yes, I want that Mitch. So, so very much...please?" with his eyes closed he did not see the smile upon Mitch's lips but he clearly heard the same desire...same hunger within that silky voice as it wantonly made promises in his ear that filled his heart with hope.

"Then, mi tesoro, I will give you all the cum you desire. I will fill you up with it all night long, mi hermoso amor." these words uttered in his ears was almost everything he yearned for. He felt one of Mitch's strong hands caress its way up into his thick, dark hair to pull him closer where he could feel that sensually warm air puffing from that sweet mouth, teasingly across his own...everything inside Anji was doing a happy dance at knowing any minute he would be tasting this delicious man once more. "So, how about we go inside where I can finally fulfill my promises to you? Mi amor." in that second Anji felt his lungs stop working, before he was able to suck in a quivering lung full of air into his lungs to answer.

"Hai (yes). Please Mitch...do it. Fill me up with that Sao de atsui mono naka ni dashite (thick cock as you cum inside me)." he gasped out and before the sound of his plea could fade, he found Mitch's mouth crashing upon his in voracious hunger...sealing off anymore words from falling out. Where both men gave themselves over to the feeling of passion within that messy, heated kiss as lust consumed them. They allowed their bodies...their tongues to speak for them as the silent messages of their wants conveyed with each stroke of their hot slick tongues that danced and caressed along each others, making their blood boil with the passion they shared...heat from them fogging up the windows inside. The way Mitch's dark hair curled around Anji's finger...how that slightly broad body pressed so hard into his own, practically molding them together from chest to thighs was so perfect. Anji loved how Mitch ground his hips up into his own, pressing that straining erection in his pants up along the crease of his backside as if trying to breach through the cloth between them and find his aching, awaiting hole that was begging to be plundered by that firm bulge he could feel so well under him. Feeling that hard shaft rubbing against him so erotically made Anji let loose a guttural moan into Mitch's mouth as his own member pressed painfully hard against the zipper of his pants, leaking steadily a lot of pre-cum into his briefs...trying to break free from its clothed trap as he instinctively moved his hips back and forth. Eventually the pleasure became unbearable and they leaned away as they gulped in lungfuls of much needed air...letting those swollen lips go free where both of them panted in lust. As Anji tried to calm himself down enough to be able to think clearly, Mitch went and opened his mouth which made all of Anji's attempts at gaining some control over himself fly out the window to be washed away by the rain.

"Come on amor (love), let's get inside before I forget where we are and take you here in this car...not caring who see's or hears us." his tone was strained and hoarse as he let Anji know how close to his breaking point of no longer caring about how public they were. Being given a choice to decide what their next move will be...which, at this point, he knew Mitch did not care just so long as he got to watch Anji falling apart in his arms tonight. With a gulp, he closed his deep brown eyes briefly, as he pushed the roar of lustful need down enough that he could clamber off Mitch's lap... thankful that at least one of them was still thinking. With a sharp intake of breath as he adjusted himself in his pants on his side of the car, he quickly gave a nod where they both swiftly got out of the car...racing hand in hand towards the door to get out of this rain falling down on them.


End file.
